


Boundless Virtue

by agapie



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Action/Adventure, Affairs, Chaptered, Emotional Roller Coaster, F/M, Falling In Love, Gen, Original Character(s), Past Tense, Platonic Romance, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-08
Updated: 2013-07-08
Packaged: 2017-12-18 03:17:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 80,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/875014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agapie/pseuds/agapie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An adventure that will make you ponder about strength and especially weakness. Unduly proud girl with an untrained demon sword finds out her fate entangled around lord Sesshoumaru. New demons, new powers and a new insight to overpowering Naraku.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1 - An introduction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Inuyasha.
> 
> This chapter serves as an introduction to the character I have created. The pace and the background will change as the story progresses. The following chapters do take place in the Inuyasha's times and includes most of the main characters. It is a Sess/OC story.

It is always nice to bathe in the gentle warmth of an autumn afternoon. Feeling just like a flower turned towards the brightness of the enlivening, sleepy sun. Regrettably not all days can flow as smoothly as that. Family affairs can darken any sparkle of daily life joy, even if it does not concern you directly.

_"I see no reason why she should go and mend things that Higurashi's girl has messed up!"_

A middle aged woman squeezed her apron intensely, as if it was the only thing keeping her sane. Receiving nothing but silence for an answer, she accusingly screamed out, barely caging tears of desperation.

_"Who cares about deep-rooted assurances, it's her safety we are talking about! Yuutsuki's safety and future! She doesn't even know Kagome nor her family."_

_"I do, and trust me my daughter, I would gladly go, if only I was of age to do so."_

Older woman appeared calm, but inside things were different. She anxiously touched a ring on her smallest finger. The conversation was familiar, reminding her of one from almost 20 years ago, that particular time her heart was torn apart by motherly feelings in order to relieve her sense of duty.

_"So let me go, I could handle it."_

_"My child, no. We both know you have no means to carry out that duty. She is the only one, I am afraid. The only Ren alive. You know well what happens if we do not do anything. Now, please, call my grandchild here, she needs to know more before she departs."_

The younger woman’s tense limbs slowly moved, with unsure steps, she moved to call her only daughter. Just before leaving she threw a piercing glance over the older woman and silently uttered:

_"Mother, do you intend to tell her?"_

For a second, their eyes met in an intense stare and the older eyes closed slowly.

_"Yes."_  Noticing her daughter in law's face becoming paler, the older woman added: _"But only what's necessary."_

The elder was left alone, worried, still touching her ring. She understood the daughter in law’s excessive fear and reluctance, after all it was the second time she had taken away the dearest human being to her, however, the elder sincerely hoped this time the efforts would not end up in vain.

/

Yuutsuki was out of breath, her teacher Nabu never allowed her to slack while practicing Kendo.

Despite training for more than six years, she was not content with results yet. She was fast and agile, could handle the wooden sword more than well, but it all was insignificant. Eye to eye with a male opponent she would lose miserably. Yuutsuki’s hands were too feeble to withstand an attack for more than a moment. Therefore usage of tricks, evades and distractions proved to be her friends in battle. When she was about to lose against Nabu again, the girl heard her mother’s weak voice calling her from afar.

_"Yuutsuki, please stop your practice. Your grandma wants to speak with you."_

Taking advantage of Nabu's distraction she hit him in the head and stated:

_"I won, while sparing never take your eyes away from your opponent."_  Nabu smiled widely at her and put his sword down.

_"Fair enough, but remember, a real opponent won't be that easy to distract."_

The girl caught up with her mother and asked:

_"Mother, is it really ok for me to go? You know Nabu is paid by the hour."_

_"This is the least of my worries right now."_

Yuutsuki pulled her eyebrows together. She did not like the tone her mother spoke to her, which was rather… sad and worried. When they reached the door, mother moved aside to let her through.

_"You are not coming?"_  Her grandma never wanted to speak with her alone about anything, she did not feel comfortable, not when her mother was so visibly concerned.

_"No, this is something only you must hear… Think well before you agree to anything. Just because your surname is Ren…"_

Suddenly the door opened and Yuutsuki's grandma with a hand gesture invited her inside.

_"Sit down."_

After they both sat in front of each other grandma started speaking.

_"Our Ren family is an old clan that runs our shrine in this town for many years."_

Yuutsuki just nodded her head, she knew it all well. There were countless stories about bravery and sacrifices in their family. The clan was so famous, that they deserved to be mentioned in many historical books. There were famous priestess among them, as well as famous warriors and generals, protecting the lands and co-working with feudal lords, humans and demons.

_"But we weren't alone. There was, and still exists yet another old family."_

_"Higurashi."_  Yuutsuki couldn't hide her curiosity. Maybe finally she would get to know the reason for the famous argument that parted families that were friends and helped each other for centuries.

_"I am surprised that you know. For several generations we do not speak of the bond between us, the families stopped being friendly. But as for now it doesn't matter. Forget about it. I want to tell you how our families used to work together in very old times."_

Yuutsuki knew that as well, but allowed grandmother to speak.

_"I must tell you, that the Higurashi clan had been blessed with talented priestesses and monks. We always had supported them with our warriors to fight demons. Even if we did have some outstanding priestesses, they were always shadowed by the Higurashi's heirs. On contrary their good warriors and brave generals always ended up serving one of Ren's heir. Nobody dared to complain though, because our ancestors made a deal to always protect and never oppose each other."_

_"But why in the end we parted our alliance?"_  Yuutsuki asked whoever she could, never got an answer though. As if the event that caused it was cursed and it would bring misfortune even if just talked about.

_"That is of no interest to you as for now."_

The girl closed her mouth instantly and her long wavy hair covered her face as she tilted forward. Grandma's tone was really harsh, Yuutsuki would never expect such a tone from the amiable old woman that she has always looked up to. The girl was not a fool, she was aware how the conversation would end. Even though the family secrets were held only with the elder, Yuutsuki was aware that there was another, much more important reason for the years of mental and physical training of hers.

_"I think it's more important for you to know why we made the promise."_  Grandma continued, already in a softer voice.

_"Higurashi clan received a duty to protect the legendary Shikon No Tama, to keep it away from demons seeking power, but as well from people, because sometimes people can be even worse than yokai. Ren clan was blessed with a duty as well."_ The woman rubbed her ring. _"We were to protect Shikon No Tama as well, but meanwhile a very powerful demon came to the oldest of the Ren clan and proposed an easy deal. The Ren clan would receive a jewel which could nullify Shikon no Tama if being used in bad deeds and it would grant powers to its wielder. Shikon No Tama was a fearful jewel, once somebody used it for bad purposes, became really powerful, could be so powerful that it stood as a threat to humanity and to other demons. Demons' alliance was accepted only because it wasn't harmful, moreover it was like an assurance that Shikon No Tama will not serve as a threat as long as The Ren's jewel was nearby. So that way Higurashi-Ren alliance was even tighter, even if somebody managed to steal the jewel, couldn't use it, because Ren's heir was already on the burglar's tail."_

It was confusing, but Yuutsuki understood completely. The Ren clan had a double alliance that was beneficial to all party.

_"All went well, but one day the family jewel disappeared without a trace and not even the Rens could find it. Without finding it there was no nullifying."_

The girl honestly wished the elder woman would finally reach her point, without purposelessly reminding her of things nearly carved in her memory. Outside, the wind picked up and it started to rain. At this rate no more practice. Yuutsuki sighted.

_"Yuutsuki… Now you are speaking with the oldest of the Ren clan and I must inform you that our duty still needs to be carried out, because it's right now that the Ren family might be able to again cooperate with the Higurashi. Before I say what I need you to do, I want you to know a secret that has been known only in the Higurashi family, but I as the elder, know this as well. Not far from here there is the Higurashi shrine and inside there is a well that can connect past with present."_

Yuutsuki looked at her precisely. Grandmother was healthy, aware of what she had been saying, her veiny, dark eyes focused on the ring, which she was squeezing strongly. Past connected with future, was is the protected secret of the Ren family? Grandmother took off her ring and passed it to Yuutsuki. The ring was stunning. Even as a child she remembered how shiny it looked on grandma's finger, capturing everyone’s attention. The small, silver circle had three jewels, each of them different colour: biggest one was blue, middle one was red and the bottom one was white.

_"Right now you are holding the missing Ren jewel, the time has come. It's needed to return it to the past. The Higurashi's youngest, Kagome has gone to past, and as the guardian of the Shikon no Tama, the well accepted her. A really bad thing had happened though. The jewel broke and many bad demons are using it right to execute mischievous deeds. The most dangerous one tries to collect all shards to feed his malicious will."_

Yuutsuki nodded her head in denial, unable to accept her fate so suddenly.

_"Please, put on the ring and protect it with your life."_

Yuutsuki really yearned for it not to be that severe to endanger her life for it. She put it on her ring finger, it was really splendid, the size fit perfectly. She kept on looking as if mesmerized.

_"Once a jewel, later made into a ring, to keep it safe on a hand of the lady of the Ren's house."_  Grandma smiled gently.

" _Yuutsuki… You might stay there for some time. Remember, the ring calls for Shikon No Tama. Monsters will come, find allies. Learn how to purify demons…Find Kagome and join forces with her."_

Yuutsuki was still doubtful about the whole situation. The Rens' family was certainly exceptional, she had heard stories from other relatives that one day, as the youngest Ren she might need to depart, to be the one to carry out the family duty. All the details were kept secret, no one ever had explained to her how she was supposed to take on her duty.

_"It will be dangerous Yuutsuki. Kagome can go through the well as many times as she wants. I am not sure if you can do the same. If it wasn't necessary I wouldn't send you, and you know , myself I can't go and your mother isn't a Ren. You are a beautiful, nineteen years old woman, brave blood of Ren runs in your veins and I do believe you will succeed in your task."_

Yuutsuki looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was pale, but she was not scared. Maybe deep down inside she had known already. She had to go, her mind was telling her to go.

_"Grandma, you never told me what our family got for accepting the alliance."_

The old woman sighed, praising the girl in thought for her attitude.

_"The promise of a marriage between a Ren bride and a yokai of the family that offered alliance. But I wouldn't think about that, it doesn't concern you."_

The girl nodded, not demurring the elder woman.

_"Child, I would like you to take our family's relic. Remember it's not a wooden sword, but a real one, that can hurt others badly. It's not an ordinary sword. For sure you know stories about it."_

Yuutsuki's eyes widened. The sword was greatly known, many people wanted to buy it off from the family, especially one annoying antique shop owner, who was still sending letters every week, but grandmother had been always denying. It was rumoured to have mysterious powers, or to give inhuman strength, because all the fights it was used in were victorious for the wielder. It was quite a plain one, the only thing that looked luxurious was the blade itself, curved in a way she had never seen before.

Nobody was even allowed to touch it, and it was to be hers?

_"Grandma, are the rumours true? Does it have special powers?"_

" _I wouldn't know child, never used it."_  The girl got a bit disappointed, but it was expected, rumours were rumours, only through experience she could judge its power.

She did not know what to say anymore, did not know what to ask. Grandma did not seem willing to say anything more either, so the conversation ended with a short sentence.

_"I am ready to go."_

After saying goodbye to her mother and taking her new sword along, Yuutsuki departed with grandmother to the Higurashi Shrine. The place was smaller than their shrine, but seemed more ancient and better kept. The weather worked in their favour, rain kept everyone inside, so they were standing alone next to the entrance of the well.

_"I will be waiting for you to come back… Now, fast child, we do not want them to see us."_

Yuutsuki swallowed a bit of saliva. So that was it, she was to jump there. She hesitated for a second, but a warm hug of her grandmother made her a bit more courageous.

Suddenly they heard a voice of an old man running towards the entrance.

_"Who are you, and what are you doing there?"_

At the same time her grandma pushed her forward and she fell to the well, naturally protecting herself with her hands from hitting her head. She did not reach the bottom, all she could feel was a pleasant feeling wrapping around her body, as if rocking her in the rhythm of an unheard music.

After opening her eyes she found herself among pieces of bones and stinky ground. She picked up her bag along with the sword and tried to climb up. Failed once, but kept trying, until she reached the surface.

It was everything, but a rainy day. The sun was high and it was quite warm, the air was clean and light, the smell of forest was everywhere. Standing in the middle of a forest’s clearing Yuutsuki was frightened as she never before. It was all brutally true, she leapt through time…

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Inuyasha.

Chapter 2

After gazing at her surroundings, Yuutsuki decided to move forward and try to find her way to a village, where she could start gathering information. She was unsure of the direction she had chosen, but greatly hoped for it to be the right one.

The ring wielder's hands were still shaking in fright. One would imagine a descendant of a family of brave warriors would not tremble in such a situation, and even though Yuutsuki was taught that nothing can be achieved without one's sweat and tears, she believed in this case it would be labelled with a greater price.

Not long into her walk, cries of children could be heard among the sound of the wind. Yuutsuki made haste following the sound. Wanting to stay unnoticed the girl noiselessly approached the scene.

Her eyes witnessed four boys picking on a smaller boy with a scared cheek. They were all poorly dressed and their ragged clothes were covered with dirt and mud. The oppressors, that couldn't be older than ten, were too captivated in throwing stones at their victim to notice Yuutsuki's approach.

She didn't want to make herself involved in strangers' affairs, but couldn't help feeling sorry for the little boy. Since it would be too much to scare them off with her family's sword, she grabbed a nearby stick, and shouting ran towards the misbehaving brats.

Yuutsuki wasn't sure what had scared them the most: her scream or a possibility of being beaten up with a wooden stick, nonetheless she achieved her goal, they left in a hurry.

Reaching closer to the boy she noticed his bruises and fresh wounds, blood staining his garments.

" _Are you fine boy? Can you stand?"_  Yuutsuki touched his shoulder. The reaction surprised her greatly. The kid abruptly cleared off her hand and with his big, scared eyes he screamed:

" _Aaa! Leave me alone demon!"_ The lad took off as fast as his legs could carry, his injuries didn't seem to bother him anymore.

" _Demon?"_  Yuutsuki couldn't believe her ears. She looked just like another ordinary person. Maybe her outfit wasn't suitable for the time, but surely not demon like.

There was no time to contemplate about what had happened. In order to find a village the girl followed the boys' direction, slowly walking, not to appear to chase them.

She was cautiously moving, still fearing to encounter the yokai that grandma had told her about.

The forest began to thin out when she noticed shapes of huts in the distance. Dropping her guard with a small feeling of accomplishment she hurried her step towards the village. A horse gallop was audible and shortly after she found herself surrounded by a dozen of men armed with pitchforks and an elderly woman dressed like a priestess holding a bow with an arrow pointing at her.

In desperation Yuutsuki fell on her knees for she thought her mission was over, furthermore she could be facing death. As if ignoring the fact, she kept her head high and looked firmly into the eyes of the priestess while saying:

" _I mean no harm to you and I wish you could say the same"_ Her voice was quiet but calm.

Before anyone uttered a word a boy in a red kimono jumped between the two women.

" _Where's the demon I'm to slash?"_ He had long, silver hair that made a contrast with his shiny, golden eyes. He had to be a demon for he had dog's ears, long, sharp nails and fangs in his mouth. He still looked a lot like a human. Yuutsuki had feared demons would be more monstrous.

" _Inuyasha!"_  The priestess shouted  _"It's in front of you, it's disguised as a human!"_

The demon's gaze moved on Yuutsuki and his face changed expression from excited, to bored.

" _Keh, she's not a demon, she's just dressed funny. You are getting too old Kaede, can't feel the yoki anymore?"_

Yuutsuki spoke out taking advantage of their distraction:

" _Since I pose no danger to you, would you be willing to speak with me?"_  She directed it at the priestess who now had her bow lowered and appeared less tense.

Suddenly someone captured Yuutsuki's attention. It was a girl dressed in middle school uniform hasting to reach the crowd.

" _Kagome…?"_  – Yuutsuki quietly spoke to herself. It shouldn't have had been a question though. It was quite obvious who was standing in front of her. Nobody from feudal era would wear a modern uniform like that.

" _Kagome?"_  She repeated with a louder voice while getting back on her feet.

" _Eeeh?"_  Kagome screamed  _" You look like you are from the modern era!"_

The silver haired demon looked surprised. He threw a quick gaze at Yuutsuki and turning to Kagome said:

" _You know her, Kagome?"_

Kagome shook her head in denial and stood by the demon boy.

" _My name is Yuutsuki."_  She tried to pick her words carefully, not to reveal too much in front of so many people.  _"And I am here to…"_  Yuutsuki bit her tongue in the last moment. Kagome didn't awake a sense of trust in her, moreover Grandma had told her that demons can be deceiving, and Kagome seemed to trust the demon boy too easily. Touching the ring she spoke calmly:

" _I am here to find and speak with the Ren family."_  She assumed it would be safe to state that.  _"And I know your name, because we attend the same middle school."_ That was not completely untrue. She indeed had attended the same school, but surely not anymore. Yuutsuki saw no other way of explaining her previous words.

" _Ren?"_  Kaede asked curiously  _"The family of generals?"_

Yuutsuki nodded _"Yes, it's of great importance that I speak with them"_ She figured that at least her ancestors were sure to be humans.

" _Why would you want to speak with them?"_  The priestess was intrigued.

" _I am very sorry. With all respect, but those are personal affairs."_

Kaede looked at the traveller. Yuutsuki's educated manner of speaking reflected her good upbringing. Her pale complexion and brown, wavy hair combined made a pleasant sight.

" _Reaching them won't be an easy task, they live far from here and the way is filled with strong demons. Let us go to my house, we'll talk more and better about this."_

On the way to the priestess house, she couldn't help not noticing the still untrusting eyes of some of the men and especially from the demon boy who kept most of his attention to her sword.

Upon reaching the elderly woman's house and before the party dispersed, one of the men said:

" _If anything else comes up, please do not hesitate in calling us Kaede-sama"_

Already inside the house, Yuutsuki made a request:

" _I would feel more comfortable if I could speak with the human only. I don't trust demons"_

" _Keh, this woman gets on my nerves…"_ and before Inuyasha could finish, two more walked in, one was a monk of young age, the other was a pretty and tall young woman. Both of them threw a curious look at the new comer. In an instant, the monk kneelt next to Yuutsuki and grabbed her hand saying:

" _Will you bear my…"_  Before the monk could finish, with a swift move, Yuutsuki unsheathed her sword. The monk could feel the cold, sharp metal next to his throat.

A moment passed as everyone was astonished at the unexpected event, such a petite person being able to so rapidly and aggressively handle the weapon. A thought shadowed everyone's mind that maybe she wasn't as passive as she had seemed earlier.

Yuutsuki became puzzled with the actions of the girl that came together with the monk. She'd hit the monks head and now was apologizing for the monks rude behaviour.

The demon boy tore the sword from her hands, looked at it carefully and said:

" _How'd you get a demon sword?"_

" _Inuyasha, sit!"_  Mysteriously the demon fell to the floor  _"Demon sword or not, it's hers, return it"_

" _Why did you do that KAGOME? Don't you think it's fishy? Came out of nowhere, doesn't wanna speak about herself, uses a demon sword, don't you feel the sword's yoki?"_

Kagome and the rest observed Yuutsuki suspiciously awaiting an explanation.

"I…" Yuutsuki said  _"The sword was a gift from my family. I am not sure myself how to use its demon powers yet. I do not even know what these powers are."_

" _Let's all calm down"_  Kaede said.  _"We all are friends in here, and we all trust each other, so there is no reason for anyone to leave, Yuutsuki. I am the priestess of this village. You seem to know who Kagome is. Inuyasha is a half demon, he might be rude, but he's a good boy."_

" _Keh"_  Inuyasha's voice sounded annoyed.

Yuutsuki ogled the monk and his company.

" _Ah, this is Miroku, and Sango, she is a demon slayer. They all travel together in order to find shards of Shikon no Tama. Miroku has a big weakness, young, pretty girls, but Sango tries to control it a bit."_  Kaede smiled slightly.

" _I want to warn you of the risks involved in the usage of a demon sword. It might possess you, if badly used_.  _Now child, you have to tell us something more about yourself and stop swinging your sword around for us to trust you. Inuyasha, return her sword."_

The half demon threw it at Yuutsuki and she caught the sword easily.

Yuutsuki had to calmly estimate the situation. She was there to help Kagome in mending the Shikon no Tama and preventing its foul usage. Kagome was clearly clueless about the Ren family and apparently nobody recognized the ring she was wielding. She could tell them about the alliance between the two families, could tell about the ring. But what was the right choice for her at that moment?

Saying the truth about her arrival would expose more than she wanted right now.

A sparkle of unease went through her body. Wouldn't it be better just to find her relatives and ask them for help? On the other hand, as the elder woman had said, it was a dangerous way, not the kind one would go alone. Yuutsuki finally decided to speak.

" _I am sorry if I made any wrong judgements. For me the conditions I am in are bizarre. As you already know, just like Kagome, I came here from the future. I have never seen a demon before, as well as I do not know who I can put my trust in."_  Yuutsuki squeezed her hands and continued  _"I need to speak with the Ren family."_  She touched the ring, because it was giving her a feeling of comfort, as if it opened a link to her grandmother.

" _Lady Yuutsuki"_  The monk spoke  _"But how did you travel from your times here? Was it the same way as lady Kagome?"_

Here they got her. The question she'd been hoping to avoid, skip, forget, albeit she had known it would come.

" _Yuutsuki?"_  Kagome put her hand on her shoulder

Despite the thunderstorm inside her mind, she answered rather calmly, yet coldly:

" _I apologize, that I will keep for myself"_

After her answer there was a sense of dissatisfaction in the air. Inuyasha broke the silence:

" _It's us who don't trust ya, so if it's so top secret stop making us a favour and leave!"_

" _Inuya…"_  An alarm cut Kagome short.

" _It's the demon alarm! A demon is attacking us_!" After Kaede's words everyone ran out to face the demon. Yuutsuki followed them shortly after. The alarm had come as if a saviour to Inuyasha's words, but at the same time brought terror of an unknown creature.

Outside Yuutsuki experienced a view that terrified her deeply. A gigantic scorpion-like creature was rapidly approaching the village.

" _It has a shard!"_  Kagome warned

Inuyasha unsheathed his sword and Yuutsuki couldn't hide her astonishment on how from an old, ragged sheath a big, beautiful sword was drawn out. The demon slayer took out her weapon that resembled a big boomerang and the monk placed his hand on the beads of his arm, as if ready to remove them. Kagome was holding a bow ready to fire.

Suddenly Yuutsuki heard Kaede's voice behind her back:

" _Hide yourself with villagers, child. It's dangerous in here."_

She ran as she had been told. The scream  _"KAZE NO KIZU"_   made her look back and she saw several lights blazing out from Inuyasha's sword, cutting the ground and reaching out to the beast.

Yuutsuki was amazed at the half demon's display of power, then disappointed to see that such an attack did not harm the foe.

" _HIRAIKOTSU"_  Sango threw her weapon against the intruder and it went forward with immense speed, but it failed as well.

She reached the hideout and continued spectating the battle, something unexpected happened.

Inuyasha got hurled across a wall and Kagome rushed to help him. Meanwhile the beast briskly drew near the hideout full of villagers. Some women screamed, some kids cried, but to Yuutsuki it all seemed distant, for her whole attention was directed at her ring. The three jewels aligned while the beast began to scream. A small, lustreless stone appeared on its forehead, and fell to the ground as the demon's shape changed. A flying arrow struck the opponent, immediately turning it to dust.

The fight was over. Yuutsuki heard Kagome saying to Inuyasha:

" _I can't feel the shard, help me to find it Inuyasha"_

Yuutsuki moved herself towards the weird stone that fell out of the beast, for she had noticed it earlier. She bent to pick it up, and the moment she passed it to the priestess and she touched it, the ring went back to normal and the stone lighten up with a violet gloss. Kagome's eyes turned to her with disbelieve.

" _Just before the monster changed its appearance this fell out of it, it looked just like a pebble"_  Yuutsuki told Kagome, reaching her hand out to her.

" _Lady Yuutsuki is right, I saw it as well. It never happened before. The shard changed its appearance."_  The monk said.

Kagome spoke slowly, trying to comprehend the situation.

" _So, basically what you want to say is that the shard turned to stone, fell out from the yokai, and when it did fall the monster weakened? And funny enough, when it was 'stone' like, I lost the feeling of the shard?"_

" _This is how it looked to me."_  Kaede stepped in.  _"And I believe it was provoked by no one else, but Yuutsuki."_

Yuutsuki's thoughts went wild. Apparently she had just experienced the process of nullifying the foul usage of Shikon No Tama. It didn't require anything from her, but being close to the demon. What was she to answer for the rightful accusation? Revealing the power of the ring wasn't desired yet.

" _You've got some explainin' to do."_  Inuyasha said in harsh voice.

On one hand telling the truth would save her from the trouble of having to lie further, on the other hand she wasn't sure how much they could be trusted. Yuutsuki just hoped that they would not take advantage of the ring's powers, and would not use her.

The decision had been made. Yuutsuki spoke:

" _I have the power to nullify the Shikon No Tama."_

" _Nulli what?"_  – Inuyasha asked Kagome quietly

" _NULL-IFY, in other words to cancel out_ " Yuutsuki answered, surprised with the need to explain the word's meaning.

" _Keh, using big words like she's something"_

" _Inuyasha, SIT."_   Kagome got annoyed at his plainness.

" _As I said then, I can neutralize the jewel when used in foul deeds."_  – Yuutsuki continued, just to be interrupted again.

" _ANOTHER big word!_ " Inuyasha hissed while getting up from the ground.

" _How is that possible?"_  The demon slayer asked.

" _It's a long story, I do not know details myself, that's why I wanted to meet the Ren clan. Surely they can clarify the issue. My name is Ren Yuutsuki and I am the youngest of the Rens' blood."_

" _If what lady Yuutsuki's saying is true, we should keep it a secret. If that information reached unwanted ears lady Yuutsuki could be in a great danger."_  Miroku spoke quietly.

Kaede nodded and added:

" _Reaching the Ren family will not be easy. You must go across the swamp forest and to the western lands. You would need company at least to cross the first one._ _It's like a nest of demons."_

" _If she has such powers maybe it could help us defeating Naraku?"_  Kagome asked hopefully.

" _That is, if lady Yuutsuki is willing to help us."_  Miroku threw a smile at the traveller.

" _Do not know how much a person without control over her abilities is able to help around. That's why I want to meet my relatives, they know the answers."_ Yuutsuki stated while looking at no one.

" _It's settled then. Tomorrow we go to find your family, and meanwhile you help us around."_  Inuyasha spoke out.

" _Welcome to the group lady Yuutsuki."_  Miroku threw a friendly gaze at the girl.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Inuyasha. I do own Yuutsuki though ^_^

**Chapter 3**

After two days of travelling, Yuutsuki had already had enough of Inuyasha's opinionated behaviour. She was walking wordlessly, unwillingly paying attention to a pointless argument between Kagome and Inuyasha involving their place of sleep for the night. Everyone besides the demon boy was exhausted, thus his arguments had clearly been invalid. Soon they were to draw near the swamps, therefore rest was extremely advisable. When Miroku and Sango spoke in favour of Kagome, Inuyasha had no choice but to yield, there was no more walking that day. Miroku quickly set the camp, Kagome and Sango went off to gather wood for a fire and Inuyasha was scavenging for food. Yuutsuki was left with Miroku and a cat demon with two tails called Kirara. The creature was adorable. Its fur was charmingly smooth like yellow velvet.

The party hadn't had any troubles so far and meanwhile Yuutsuki had familiarized herself with this world's secrets. Obviously not with all of them, but she had grown accustomed to powers surrounding her, demons weren't a problem anymore either.

Yuutsuki wasn't a timid person, but she couldn't break down the reluctance to be more than politely nice, which didn't make her the most likable person ever. The awareness of the fact provoked her not to flaunt with her presence even more. On the contrary, the group treated her kindly, especially Sango and Miroku, they had never meddled in her business. Inuyasha didn't speak to her at all and Kagome… Kagome talked too much, a real chatterbox, but Yuutsuki found her a bit too inquisitive, travelling together or not, there was no need to tell her life story in details, especially when nobody had told theirs.

Yuutsuki sighed, hearing this Miroku causally sat next to her and said:

" _There seems to be a lot on your mind today, is there anything I can help you with, lady Yuutsuki?"_

The girl smiled slightly.

" _Please, cut the lady part, makes me feel old."_

Miroku nodded and reformed the question.

" _Is there anything I can help you with? You seem really tense all the time. You keep rubbing that ring of yours."_

She froze for a second and became all stiff.

" _I am fine, thank you. I am not used to travel this long. A good night sleep and I will be better. As for the ring…It reminds me of my grandmother, I hope my family is fine."_

Yuutsuki squeezed her hands tightly when she realized how much she had wanted to go back. A single tear went down her cheek, but she wiped it hastily, hoping the monk didn't see it. On that exact moment the rest of the party returned, shortly afterwards everyone was already eating cheerfully chatting about trivialities. Yuutsuki was the only one who remained quiet and barely touched the meal. Nobody seemed to mind it, but she couldn't help noticing Miroku looking intensively at her over the dancing flames of fire.

An hour passed and the sleeping arrangements had been done when Yuutsuki followed the girls to a hot spring, and on the way back picked up some blueberries.

Already in her sleeping bag, watching the fire die slowly, Yuutsuki fell into the land of Nod.

_Her grandmother was lying down on a cold ground in a puddle of blood, lifeless eyes opened in fear. Heavy rain started to fall, making the blood less dense, a shadow covered her stiff face. Suddenly a strong pull deep inside Yuutsuki's body… It wasn't her grandma anymore. It was her in a puddle of blood feeling the freeze of the ground…_

Yuutsuki woke up abruptly, her face covered in sweat and tears. Sobbing inaudibly she left the camp, not to disturb anyone. She entered the darkness and lost her footing on a root. Yuutsuki started to cry. She had injured her knee quite seriously, the blood didn't stop flowing. Falling had been the drop that filled up the goblet of sorrow. The accumulation of bitterness, anger, loneliness and pain made it unbearable to withstand. While pressing the wound she lifted her head. The moon showed itself, and the leaves rustled in a faint breeze. Yuutsuki quietened down and observed the beautiful landscape that had filled her up with tranquillity.

" _I must find something positive in here, something that will give me determination to move on…"_  She whispered to herself while placing a makeshift dress for the wound. The only pleasant thing she could recall at the moment was the monk's handsome face gazing at her over the fire. Yuutsuki limping slowly returned to the camp, and went back to sleep as if nothing had happened.

She woke up with Inuyasha speaking:

" _She reeks of blood"_

The girl opened her eyes and saw the party surrounding her.

" _Yuu, are you injured? Inuyasha says he smells a wound"_  Kagome seemed really worried

Yuutsuki remembered last night and didn't dare to look at the monk, being afraid of revealing her interest in him.

" _Today we fight and she's injured. Great"_  Inuyasha complained through his back.

" _It's nothing serious, I simply tripped at night. Thank you for the concern though."_  She smiled at Kagome, but apparently it hadn't been too convincing.

" _Let me see it, I can treat wounds nicely"_  Sango removed her covers  _"Where is it?"_

Yuutsuki gave up and merely said:  _"Right knee"_  while rolling up her trousers to exhibit the wound.

When Sango finished tending her, Miroku passed food to her, saying:

" _We all ate already. After you are done we can depart"_

They didn't have to wait long. In ten minutes she was fully ready, and even though the leg hurt and it required a lot of effort to walk, she was bearing it bravely.

It wasn't noon yet when Inuyasha stopped unexpectedly and said:

" _We are surrounded. Prepare to fight!"_  And as he had said, seven human shaped demons appeared laughing and shouting to each other.

The biggest one of them stated:

" _Give me your gold and your women, maybe then we will spare you"_

" _Keh, try me then"_  Inuyasha drew his sword, and everyone put their defence up.

" _Kirara, take Yuutsuki somewhere safe and…"_

Yuutsuki didn't hear it anymore. It was a perfect opportunity to test her new sword. Disregarding her aching leg she dashed forward with her blade ready to encounter the opponent.

" _That woman_ …!" Inuyasha screamed  _"Hide! They are …"_

Before he finished the biggest yokai giggled again, but his amusement finished as suddenly as it started, if he had moved a second later, the thin girl with beautiful hair would have cut right through his throat. After his swift dodge, the demon stroke Yuutsuki in the back, hurling the girl to the ground. When he was about to deal the final blow, she avoided the attack performing a barrel roll. Inuyasha used the moment of the opponent's discomposure to knock him down with Tessaiga's Kaze no Kizu. The fight's tempo had been increased, and in the heat of the clash Kirara received an unexpected hit, making the cat demon unconscious.

Yuutsuki was still on the ground, for the prior attack combined with already feeble body had rendered her incapable of moving. The failure had surprised her unpleasantly and caused fear of being ridiculed, all because of her whim to test out the sword. Lost in thoughts, she didn't notice a figure shadowing her face, and before she managed to respond, somebody grabbed her by her hair and a hand covered her face to keep her from screaming. It didn't feel like a skin of a human, its scent was foul. Yuutsuki's eyes filled up with tears of pain.

" _They will pay a lot for you"_  She heard a sound of a wet tongue champing noisily. It wasn't too difficult to imagine, how repulsive that had been.

" _Now you go to sleep."_  Yuutsuki trembled in terror upon hearing this.

She had little idea of how far the creature had taken her. Last thing in her memory was a piercing pain on the scruff of her neck. The surroundings weren't too different from where the team had set up the camp previously, but then again, a forest may look similar in the whole range of its mantle.

The demon had gagged and tied her up. The girl looked around and stopped her attention on the familiar sword that had been placed few meters further. The act had captured the attention of the abductor. Approaching rapidly he grabbed her by the forehead and compelled to look at him.

A dull pain renewed across her body.

" _Awake, huh? That was fast. Don't you worry darling, soon you will be sold to a nice pair of hands"_

She truly abhorred his smile, the filthiest one she had ever seen. They seemed to be alone, and the sun had just begun to set. He removed her gag bringing his face dangerously closer.

" _Pig"_  Yuutsuki said immediately, spitting in his face. Certainly he had abandoned and betrayed his companions, just to gain some profit, the concept of loyalty was unknown to him.

" _Wench"_  said the demon slapping her with might. The strength of the hit made her collapse on her face. The abducted girl decided to fake fainting and remained immobile.

" _If you weren't worth so much, you'd be dead by now. A wolf in sheep's clothing, shame, such a tasty face."_

She heard his footsteps receding into the distance and carefully took a peek, spying his movements. A silent sight of relief escaped her lips, for he had sat and turned his back at her, utterly distracted by his food.

Since the ropes restraining her were thick, her slender hands managed to slide out quite easily, trying not to make a sound she took off the rest of the ties. The demon had been motionless for a while when a humming rang out, a young voice. Apparently a child was picking up nourishment and cheerfully singing:

" _Sesshoumaru-sama, Sesshoumaru-sama!"_

Yuutsuki got terribly anxious when the demon slowly moved towards the child. Her body was aching and most likely a slight push would knock her down. The girl was aware, that only she can save the kid and that allowed her to surpass and ignore the pain. She reached out for her sword and in a blink of an eye was standing next to the opponent, looking into his surprised eyes. Before the demon made a move, she managed to cut the left side of his waist. Dark blood from his inners was splashing at his feet as he growled in pain. Yuutsuki's stomach turned upside down at the sight and she barely noticed a rusty dagger aiming straight for her throat. She parried the attack, but didn't have the strength to fully deflect it. Years of kendo practice had taught her how to evade successfully, nevertheless she suffered some damage. Her left shoulder received a deep cut, and her whole arm became numb. The oppressor was weak from blood loss, and apparently had put all his strength in that blow not expecting her to ward it off. The attacker finally lost his balance and fell to his demise. Yuutsuki, never letting go of her sword, accidently pierced the beast. An unpleasant sight, the blade made its entry through the throat and its exit through the skull. The girl's vision became blurry and she fell on her knees, feeling her pulse decreasing.

The child came closer. A young, thin, black-haired girl in a neat kimono touched her savior.

" _Are you fine?"_  She asked, when the older girl fell on her face, but only silence answered her. Yuutsuki had already fainted.

After regaining consciousness, Yuutsuki found herself in a completely different place. The view had changed yet again, only this time there was no sense of danger and she was lying next to a warm fire which was illuminating the inside of a cave. Next to her, there was a little girl sleeping. It was the child she'd saved before. Her wounds had been tended but the pain remained, especially when she tried to get up in order to find her sword. There was no trace of her weapon in that place, so she decided to check outside. An imp demon was guarding the cave's entrance holding a two headed staff and snoring loudly. Not seeing anyone else, she assumed that demon was her savior, for a child alone wouldn't have been strong enough to transport her. She still had second thoughts though. It was a very small creature, and even with the child's aid it seemed farfetched them being able to bring her to the cave, that seemed so distant from where she had fought the previous demon.

She was wondering whether Kagome's group was safe, if they were searching for her. Yuutsuki kept quiet, admiring the stunning, silver moon glowing upon the skies.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the child came out from the cave. The little girl smiled saying:

" _This is Rin"_  she pointed at herself  _"and this is Jaken-sama"_  she pointed at the imp.  _"And you are?"_

" _Thank you for saving me, Rin. I am Yuutsuki"_

" _No. Rin should thank you for saving her. Besides it's not Rin that saved Yuutsuki. It was Sesshoumaru-sama"_  the child smiled so honestly, Yuutsuki just had to return it.

" _Sesshoumaru-sama took your sword, but don't worry, he said he would be back soon"_

" _Why would he do that?"_  Yuutsuki was fuming, nobody would usurp her belongings.

" _Sesshoumaru-sama said the sword is interesting, and he doubted it's yours, but after I told him you used it, he believed. Sesshoumaru-sama is very kind, for sure he will return it"_

With a gust of wind golden, amber eyes appeared in front of her. The eyes looked very similar to Inuyasha's, although the two demons were totally different. The one just in front of her was respectful, stoic, seemed dangerous, as well deadly strong. His kimono was mostly red and white with a crest, surely to emphasize his royal origins. Heavy armor on his torso and two swords on his hip stressed his warrior nature.

His gaze was indifferent and aloof once he lowered his eyes on Yuutsuki. A shiver ran down her spine.

" _Sesshoumaru-sama!"_ Jaken appeared totally _awake "I guarded the place like you asked!"_

" _Rin, Jaken, go back to the cave"_  Two magenta stripes on each cheek and a crescent moon on his forehead contrasted with silver hair, longer than Yuutsuki's. His companions obeyed and she was left with the demon alone.

Sesshoumaru's voice was quiet, yet clear when he directed his words at her:

" _Why are you here, Ren?"_

Yuutsuki was stunned at the fact that he had known who she was. Maybe he was familiar with her ancestors, or maybe he had seen the sword before… She decided to play dumb until she would get to know his motives more.

" _What do you mean by Ren?"_  Yuutsuki's voice was shaking. Moved by the wind, her hair partly covered her eyes. An appreciated coincidence, as Sesshoumaru's eyes were constantly piercing hers.

" _You have the Rens's sword and you smell like a Ren, you as well smell like Inuyasha, do you want to deny it?"_

" _I did travel with Inuyasha's group, but we got separated. Currently I own no sword. If you return it to me, maybe I will talk more."_ For a brief moment she could see a sparkle of amusement in his eyes, but it faded as fast.

Yuutsuki bit her lip. She had to choose words wisely, it was needed to estimate how intelligent Sesshoumaru was.

Lifting his hand where he had been holding Yuutsuki's sword he said:

" _It's a demon sword. The usage devours a human's soul. How come did you keep your sanity?"_

She was incapable of being dishonest while that intense gaze was as if analysing her soul.

" _I.. I am not sure myself, I believe it's the ring I am wielding."_  the words went along with a sigh and she added:  _"Do you know Rens' family? I need to speak with them and get an ad…"_

A snarl interrupted her speech.

" _If I didn't know Rens I would not refer to the origins of the sword. Human, you want me to believe that you are the wielder of the ring? Your life will be over once I discover you stole it."_  Sesshoumaru grabbed Yuutsuki by her neck, awaiting explanations, after tightening his grasp he hissed:

" _Whom did you steal it from?"_

Maybe noticing he went overboard, or maybe recalling her wounds, Sesshoumaru released her from his claws.

Yuutsuki coughed, holding her neck and throwing a ferocious look at the arrogant demon.

Understandably, she felt outraged with his behaviour, but calling her a thief was even more abusive.

" _You have no right to hurt me"_  Yuutsuki's quiet voice sounded artificially confident.

" _This Sesshoumaru-sama does as he pleases, especially on his lands"_  A slow burning anger could be seen in his eyes. Throughout the entire time, obviously the girl had been terrorized with the demon, although protecting her honour had been always a priority. She had an enormous necessity to clear the misunderstanding.

" _The ring was passed on me by…"_  Yuutsuki really wanted it to sound truthful and plausible, so instead of 'grandma', _"…the elder of Rens"_ Since it was true, the girl sounded assured.  _"I was told to protect it with my life."_

The silver haired demon seemed astounded, very slowly, he asked:

" _What do you know about the ring?"_

Yuutsuki closed her eyes for a second. Perhaps he believed her.

" _It was made out from a stone given by demons. It has powers to nullify the Shikon no Tama used in foul deeds. Apparently it allows using the demon sword without the risk of being devoured…Little people know about its existence…I will not speak about more details of me having the ring, it's a private matter to discuss with my family."_

Sesshoumaru spoke with a loud voice:

" _I am Sesshoumaru, the lord of the western lands. Long time ago my family granted a stone to the Rens family, and it happens to be the same one you wield on your hand."_


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Inuyasha. I have a feeling, the story is growing a bit and the real adventure will start now.

 

The fight was tough, the opponents hadn't appeared strong, more like weak and senseless. The assumption had turned out to be wrong, for all of them had been robust and quite sly. They had been aiming for the weakest points, attacking from behind. One of them had even captured Yuutsuki and her scent had been long gone among the smells of the encounter. Inuyasha hadn't gotten any injuries, but the rest of the group hadn't been so fortunate.

Kagome rubbed her sore arm, the demons surely didn't know how to treat a lady. Kirara still remained unconscious and Miroku's face suffered a nasty wound. Kagome had purified it already, but it needed time to heal. Sango seemed to be just bruised, but her aching muscles had disabled her for some time.

" _We have to find Yuu-chan"_  Kagome spoke to the rest. Yuutsuki had suddenly disappeared, and they had been too busy fighting back to follow any trace.

Miroku sighed.

" _I am afraid in our current condition we wouldn't go too far. Although the truth is, time works in our disadvantage."_

" _Inuyasha could go after her, he is fine. I doubt anyone would attack us now, plus if anything happens, Miroku will keep us safe."_  Sango smiled at the monk.

" _You are right Sango. Inuyasha, you are the only one that can go. Kagome cannot use the bow for a while, so taking her would be just an obstacle. Besides my face, I am fine, in case of danger I will hide us under my barrier."_ Kagome nodded at the monk's words.

" _As if! I won't leave Kagome to go for that capricious girl! It's her fault. Did you see how stupidly she went forward to kill that demon? Probably she's already sold or with that personality of hers, dead!"_  Inuyasha crossed arms on his chest and waited for the reaction.

" _It is true, she behaved recklessly. But the demons were already there and we were bound to fight them anyway."_  Kagome reprimanded him.

" _We promised to take Yuutsuki to the Rens. We failed to protect her. She's a weak girl, doesn't have experience in fighting demons."_  With a tone of guilt, Sango tried to persuade Inuyasha.

" _Keh, not that weak, that demon sword of hers has potential."_

" _A potential that needs to be unlocked, that's why we need to take her to the Rens."_  Miroku said calmly.  _"However I still wonder, how can she make use of the sword? As we all know, it's a demon sword, humans don't use it casually like she does…"_  He continued.

" _It's a barrier"_  Kagome interrupted  _"When she used it I could feel a faint presence of a shield. What's more curious, it was demon energy. "_

" _Are you sure Kagome? That's interesting, a demon protection against a demon sword. What might be the source of the barrier?"_  Miroku was intrigued.

" _The ring"_  Inuyasha replied  _"She's always clinging to it, and it has a familiar scent, I just can't identify it."_

" _I see…"_  Miroku continued, in a gesture of approval.  _"She was always very reserved about it. Another question stands. Who granted her that power?"_

" _It might be more than we think, maybe she doesn't know herself, that's why she needs to go there."_  Sango added.

" _What a pain!"_  Inuyasha said loudly  _"But it can't be helped. But know this, if I don't find her close by and I don't catch her scent I'll just come back"_

" _Good boy, Inuyasha"_  Kagome smiled  _"Go now, we'll be fine."_

" _Just don't treat me like a dog! Miroku, take care of Kagome"_  Inuyasha departed, not wasting more time. Agilely, he jumped on a tree branch and from there he went.

As he was going, he kept his focus on what he could smell, until finally, scattered along with the smell of the demon foes he'd fought earlier, he caught Yuutsuki's scent which led him to a small glade where a camp had previously taken place. Ropes, the remains of a camp fire with the coals slowly burning away the little heat they had remaining, some leftovers and a corpse of a demon. Yuutsuki's smell was well present there, and, moreover, that corpse was undoubtedly the demon that'd taken the missing girl. As he reached the deceased creature, other familiar smells were still hovering.

" _Sesshoumaru"_ Inuyasha quietly said to himself as he followed the scent. He didn't travel more than a few steps, the trace abruptly ended, his brother must have had flown out of there. Along with Sesshoumaru's, Yuutsuki's scent disappeared as well. Then the demon dog decided to go back to Kagome and the others to report his findings and discuss their next move.

Arriving back, Inuyasha noticed the moon was already high. He swore as his demon attributes started to fade. Temporarily he was just another human with no special powers. He had forgotten it was that night today. Since he was a half demon, once a month he'd change to a human. Silver hair changed to black, golden eyes to brown ones, nails shortened. Inuyasha's strength was stranded and his demon sword was useless for that time. Upon reaching the camp, Inuyasha noticed the still surprised looks of his companions. Even after all this time, seeing his human form could come as a shock.

First words to welcome him were:

" _And now we have yet another reason to stay the night. Tell us what you concluded_ " Miroku invited him over the fire.

During a meal Inuyasha detailed them what he had seen. He shared his thoughts about the possibility of Yuutsuki joining Sesshoumaru's group.

" _It's hard to believe Sesshoumaru would take another human along. Why would he do that anyway?"_ Kagome contested.

Nobody was able to conclude anything plausible, also they couldn't spot any connection between the girl and the demon lord.

The resolution they'd taken was to try finding Sesshoumaru and hope he's willing to answer their questions. This was an arduous task, for he was constantly in travel. Further discussion would bring them nowhere closer to the truth. As for now it remained as a riddle, a tough nut to crack.

Yuutsuki remembered the monk's face with a sentiment. A small butterfly decided to tickle her stomach slightly, just to arouse a warming sensation in her chest. She had been awake for some time already, although couldn't tell for how long. It seemed like the peaceful, deep breaths of Rin and Jaken made every second last a minute. Yuutsuki decided to leave the cave. Once outside, she stretched her body taking several deep gasps of fresh air. The girl rubbed her hands, the mornings were really chilly. Nevertheless, the scenery was worth freezing for. The fiery star slowly, as if lazily, emerged from behind the clouds, illuminating the foggy forest that was surrounding the area.

Yuutsuki felt him approaching, hearing him would be impossible. She remembered last night's conversation. Sesshoumaru still had so many doubts left, and she had so many questions as well.

There was something in his attitude, making her curious about him. The girl knew he was standing behind her, watching either her, or the scenery.

She wasn't certain of the motives, but apparently, she had been thinking of a way to find a link of understanding between them.

" _No matter how many times I observe it, it still feels wonderful to me."_  Yuutsuki commented, knowing he was listening.

" _The sunrise?"_  Unexpectedly his voice sounded almost polite.

" _No."_  She shook her head in denial.  _"It's really beautiful, albeit I fancy its metaphorical meaning. It brings new beginnings, new chances and hopes. A new day brings courage to start over, not to look behind and most importantly to me; it always brings warmth to my heart."_

The girl threw a shy glance at Sesshoumaru, pondering what he was thinking about. Her cheeks became rosy. His face was indifferent, except the eyes, which were reflecting the first rays of the sun.

Yuutsuki's eyes widened, when he directed his stare at her.

" _Yesterday you had a faint scent of a half demon called Inuyasha."_

" _I travelled with him and his companions, but got separated. Are you two related?"_

At the same moment the imp demon came out from the cave and almost screamed

" _How dare you speak to Sesshoumaru-sama, while looking into his eyes? An ungrateful, lowlife human!"_

Staggered by his words, Yuutsuki surely didn't comprehend properly. It was true, that Sesshoumaru had presented himself as a lord, but wasn't it a sign of respect to look into the eyes of an interlocutor while speaking? She really had to watch out, the usual habits didn't seem to apply in this world. On the other hand, being admonished by a small creature was at least frustrating not to say disturbing.

" _Why would I be troubled to look into anyone's eyes? Only liars evade eye contact, besides…"_

" _Jaken, silence."_  Those two words were enough to quieten them both.  _"Take Rin and look for some human food."_

Jaken cringed, still willing to say something, but left in a rush. Sesshoumaru continued speaking.

" _Inuyasha and I are half-brothers, we share the same father. I dislike associating myself with him though."_

The resemblance between the brothers was obvious, they shared several common features, nonetheless the aura around them was entirely unlike.

" _You would like to return to your little happy party, I presume."_

Yuutsuki slowly nodded her head. She needed to support Kagome in destroying the Shikon No Tama. How to achieve the task? The answer lied within the Rens clan, or so she hoped.

" _You will not."_  Sesshoumaru's body turned toward hers, his peculiar armour reflecting her face, and said slowly, accentuating each word:  _"You shall not."_

Yuutsuki giggled and contradicted him:

" _I have no obligation to obey your commands. Lord or not, I am no possession of yours, I belong to nobody. I will not be at somebody's beck and call."_

He took a sudden, deep breath and his throat uttered a warning growl. Surely he hated to be defied.

Yuutsuki wasn't startled though. Almost losing her life in the previous fight had filled her with calmness. At the moment, inside of her, many thoughts were playing. Some of them low and harmonic, others louder and sharper, composed of various tunes, but all of them created a coherent, gentle sound, which was encouraging her constantly. All she had been focused on was the mission, there was no way anyone would interrupt it.

" _I will regroup with them. We intend to meet the Rens."_

In a blink of an eye Yuutsuki was pushed against the rocks of the cave. Sesshoumaru was ruthlessly grabbing her throat. Sun rays were blinding her, therefore she could not see the rage in his eyes.

" _Insolent human, know your place_." He kept looking indifferently as the girl was fighting for air, finally he released his grip, knowing that a bit more and she would faint.

Yuutsuki cursed him in her mind. She had known he was strong, way stronger than an ordinary demon. No need for display of his greatness over her. Despite pain, she got up silently, piercing him with a bitter look.

" _Why?"_  She couldn't help her voice breaking.

" _Human, be glad I let you live."_  Looking at her disdainfully, started to walk away.  _"I will be back soon. Wait here with Rin and Jaken. If you run away, I will find you."_  These emotionless words sounded like a threat, or even a promise.

Yuutsuki quietly sat down and let her thoughts run wild. Enjoying the wind on her face, she closed her eyes and immersed herself in all the information she had managed to collect and assume.

The Shikon No Tama was in pieces. A powerful demon called Naraku wished to collect them all, and certainly his purposes weren't pure. Kagome was the one who had been guilty of shattering the jewel, as well the one who had decided to take responsibility of mending it. Apparently the girl possessed holy powers and could operate a bow skilfully. Yuutsuki walked away from the cave, seeking some water to drink and clean her wounds. Even if Kagome hadn't had a clue about the alliance between the two families, Yuutsuki had known. The ring she was wielding, the one she had brought from the future, was missing in the past. Somebody had stolen it, thus someone had in possession the same powers she did. Currently there were two nullifying jewels in that era. Probably there was another sword as the one she had received. The Ren's Jewel had been granted by a powerful demon family and clearly Sesshoumaru was a part of it. What was even clearer, he had been suspecting her of stealing the jewel.

Finally, she managed to find a lake with clear water. Slowly, she started washing her wounds and kept on pondering.

On the other hand, what benefits would the ring bring? Besides the Rens' duty, Yuutsuki couldn't find any other rational purpose of the jewel's power. Maybe the thing had other abilities, unknown to her. If that was true, Sesshoumaru's doubts wouldn't have been unfounded, and grandmother's words, about the ring's power, exaggerated.

If it was so, there could have been a reason to steal it. It was all but facts though, nothing more than her assumptions, which needed to be confronted with someone familiar with the jewel.

Yuutsuki sighed, for her thoughts had been interrupted with Rin and Jaken's loud voices.

" _Rin told you, that fruit is really sour, Jaken-sama!"_

" _Should have told me before I tried it, stupid child!"_  The imp's face was twisted in disgust. She couldn't help, but laugh at the funny demon.

When Rin noticed her, waved her arm cheerfully and screamed:

" _Yuutsuki-sama! Rin picked up some fruits for you!"_

Yuutsuki waved back. Sesshoumaru had been showing his abhorrence for humans, yet Rin was undoubtedly travelling with him. She wondered what made the child so special.

" _O! You have a really deep cut! Are you fine?"_

Yuutsuki grinned. It did hurt, but generally it was healing well. Luckily, there was no infection, and she was happy about that.

" _Don't worry Rin, I am fine, thank you. Did you eat already?"_

" _No, Rin was hoping to eat with Yuutsuki. That's why Rin brought so many fruits"_ the girl was really adorable.

" _Rin, don't get too used to that woman, probably she will leave soon."_  Jaken said through his teeth, apparently the sourness still didn't leave his tongue.

The child totally ignored him.

" _Yuutsuki-sama, your hair is so beautiful and long! Rin wants hair like this too. How long will it take?"_

" _You are kind, thank you. I didn't cut it for seven years already. It's a long way to go, Rin. You must be patient."_

" _Seven years…? And after that, Rin will have hair like yours?"_

" _Maybe even longer."_  The child smiled widely and started to spin around, as if dancing to unheard music, still keeping the fruits in her hands.

Yuutsuki had left the other two after eating, just to stroll a bit. The surrounding nature was really beautiful, still untouched by industry. Enjoying the environment she kept looking around.

Suddenly, the girl felt a fear tremble her body, she looked away, and saw it.

A human shaped, male demon was rapidly approaching her location. Before she even thought about running away, the intruder was already facing her.

The demon smiled wickedly, straitening his pose. His appearance seemed just like one of an ordinary human's, if not for an aura of wildness, nobody could notice any abnormalities in looks.

" _Hey, little human woman, I need that sword of yours!"_  Yuutsuki grabbed her sword, as if she wanted to defend it. The demon was powerful, she stood no chance in a fight. The issue was, she couldn't run away either, the demon was too fast. The girl's mouth became dry out of fear, yet she kept her head high.

" _What? You do not want to? Well, you have no choice. Am I being unfair? So what about a fight? If you win, I let you go, but if I do, let's see…"_  Yuutsuki tried to use a moment of distraction to withdraw herself, but he shouted:

" _HEY! What do you think you are doing?"_  The demon grabbed her chin and made her look at him.

" _Oi! Quite a woman, you are. I decided. If I win I get the sword and you as a dessert."_

Yuutsuki's thoughts froze. There was no chance of winning. Her life was again in jeopardy.

" _To make it easier, I fight with my bare hands, you can fight with that fancy sword of soon-not-to-be yours."_  He chuckled at his own joke and pushed the girl away.

Because of the fall, her outfit became even dirtier, and it worsened the battered knee.

" _So, prepare!"_  He screamed as his eyes changed colour from foggy blue to bloody red.

Yuutsuki took out her sword and hoped that her death wouldn't be too painful. Her hands were shaking, she was about to be toyed with, and probably killed. She wasn't a born pessimist, but the situation wasn't the brightest ever. All she could depend was luck and her evading skills.

His first attacks weren't too strong and since Yuutsuki was small and agile, she was able to evade some of the blows, but others hit, and each carried more strength.

Not long after, the demon became bored and with a strong, straight punch, he felled the girl to the ground. She covered her head expecting a final blow, but nothing happened, instead, only the raw sound of a falling body could be heard. Yuutsuki uncovered her head, to witness what had occurred. A whip-like, glowing beam was entangled around the demon's body, and as she followed its source with her eyes, she saw they had been originated from Sesshoumaru's fingers. He had returned in the most opportune moment, although, Yuutsuki would have appreciated more if it had happened sooner.

" _Sesshoumaru-sama…"_  the demon whimpered out with difficulty.

" _You are not allowed to play on my grounds. I thought I made it clear, Tarou!"_  Sesshoumaru sounded rather irritated, he certainly disliked repeating himself and having his words defied.

The two were undoubtedly familiar with each other, but the exact ties were unknown to Yuutsuki. As the whip slowly retracted to its source, the demon's body became free, although he was still refraining himself from too much movement and just stood up enough to get on his knee, holding his fist on the ground and keeping his head down. Yuutsuki saw nothing less than a servant greeting its master.

" _I am terribly sorry, Sesshoumaru-sama, I never expected the human to be of importance to you."_  Tarou kept his head low as his master came closer.

" _Do not misunderstand. Slaughtering women doesn't benefit the opinion of my lands. Why aren't you with the rest of the soldiers? Aren't you a general?"_ Sesshoumaru's voice was growing angrier. It resembled a growl. Could it be that his servant had upset him that much?

Yuutsuki frowned. Obviously he hadn't intended to save her, just in the morning he had been about to kill her himself. A murdered woman in his grounds would taint his lands' honour, but it was fine, if he would have been the murderer. The silver haired demon thought really high of himself.

Her derisive thoughts were interrupted by Tarou, who was clearly more relaxed.

" _I humbly report I am on my free time, Sesshoumaru-sama, you know my weakness for such a pretty prey."_

Sesshoumaru approached her and demanded:

" _Woman, introduce yourself to the general for him to acknowledge his mistake."_

Yuutsuki couldn't understand the purpose. Sesshoumaru's face was unreadable like a stone. She didn't want to approach Tarou, she just mumbled from where she had been standing:

" _Yuutsuki. Ren Yuutsuki."_

" _Ren?"_  Tarou got up and his blue eyes widened.  _"A Ren with Sesshoumaru-sama? Does this mean that the promise will be fulfilled?"_

" _Silence!"_  Sesshoumaru growled again. In fear, the general returned to his previous position.  _"Your free time is over. I have an order for you."_

" _Gladly, my lord."_

" _Find Jaken and a human girl accompanying him. They are nearby. Take them both to the house of the West. As for the human girl, if anything happens to her, your life will be lost."_

" _As you command."_  Tarou got up and bowed in front of Sesshoumaru and Yuutsuki.

Within a second he was gone. The golden eyes met hers.

" _Are you injured?"_

A sudden, small display of concern surprised her. Could it be that he had been bothered about his inferior attacking her?

" _He pushed me around a bit."_ She touched her dirty clothing, which seemed one of a beggar.  _"I believe my previous injuries worsened."_

Sesshoumaru kept quiet, observing her clumsy movements. The girl tried to take out dirt from her outfit.

" _Exchange swords with me."_  He spoke quietly, still looking at her.

" _Excuse me?"_ The unexpected request confused Yuutsuki. Why would he want that? If he had desired to possess her sword, he wouldn't have returned it to her.

" _Give me your sword and I will give you mine."_

The girl handed away her blade and faced the ground, saying:

" _I do not need your sword_." Probably she wouldn't be able to handle it anyway.

" _Consider it an honour and do not oppose."_  He answered roughly, and pushed his sword against her.

She timidly embraced it with her hands. It was shorter than hers and significantly lighter. His reasons were unclear, but somehow it didn't bother her.

" _Follow me."_  He left first, taking the direction he had arrived previously.

Yuutsuki observed his figure receding into the forest. She rushed, making sure she wouldn't lose him.

 


	5. Chapter 5

 

Yuutsuki had been following him for a couple of hours already. Astonishingly, the more she walked, the better her body felt. Sesshoumaru had been leading the way without haste, albeit he had never looked back, nor said a word. Observing his long, shiny hair and the straightened posture was quite a pleasant view, although the girl had other things to ponder about.

She could ask him about the destination, but truthfully, something else had been on her mind.

The demon called Tarou. Was it really the wisest allowing him to deal with Rin's safety? Yuutsuki was honestly concerned about the cute child. She hoped that Sesshoumaru knew what he was doing, and that Rin hadn't been left in the lurch. Yuutsuki decided to ask him about it. She caught up to him and quietly spoke:

" _Sesshoumaru…"_

Without stopping he threw a brief, blank stare at her.

" _Do you really think leaving Rin's safety in Tarou's hands is a proper thing to do?"_

Sesshoumaru frowned, as if the question had been offensive.

" _Do not doubt my actions."_

" _It's problematic. I am not familiar enough with you to trust you carelessly."_

The demon stopped, and gave her a long hard stare. Yuutsuki withstood it and after a moment she heard his low voice.

" _Take off your covering."_

Did he mean her coat? The weather conditions weren't too pleasant to walk in short sleeved clothing. She hesitated.

" _Do as I say."_ Assuming, she wouldn't comprehend his reasons anyway, she obeyed. The cold air embraced her torso as she removed her unclean coat. Yuutsuki shivered slightly, when Sesshoumaru swept her hair, baring her shoulder.

He looked at it thoroughly, making the girl feel nervous and embarrassed.

Suddenly, with a rapid movement, he retrieved the sword he had given her before, saying:

" _You do not need it anymore."_

She looked at her wound. It was gone! How come such a deep cut healed in a couple of hours? She lifted her eyes at him, awaiting some kind of explanation.

" _Tenseiga is a healing sword. Normally it wouldn't heal a human wielder, but seems like the ring enables you to use any demon sword. Interesting."_ He smirked and began to walk again.

Yuutsuki put her coat on and hurried to catch up with him. So that had been the reason of exchanging swords. Nonetheless, she was really grateful, her wounds were gone. No wonder she felt so well.

" _Thank you_." Yuutsuki said quietly.

" _We fly from here."_

She found herself in a bright environment, couldn't see anything else besides Sesshoumaru's back. Next sight was a gigantic skull, the head of a deceased demon with its jaws wide open inviting to go in, but the fangs it bared advising to stay out. From there, the crisp sound of metal hitting metal was clearly audible. Ignoring the dentures, Sesshoumaru made his way inside, followed by his still somewhat nervous companion. Sitting at the centre of the skull was a creature dressed in a ragged green kimono with black stripes, hitting away metal with a blacksmith's hammer.

" _Ah Sesshoumaru-sama."_  said the creature as he turned towards his guests. He was an elderly demon with big round eyes, long and sharp nose and jawbone, with beard on the corners of the upper side of his mouth and chin. Yuutsuki bent politely, he looked at her without a word.

" _Totosai. This sword"_ Sesshoumaru took out Yuutsuki's sword  _"Do you know it?"_

Totosai grabbed it and examined carefully.

" _Hmm... Weird…"_

The elder was softly stroking the beard on his chin.

" _What is?"_  Sesshoumaru asked.

" _You brought a human along."_

" _None of your business. Tell me about the sword."_  The silver haired demon got annoyed.

" _Ah, yes, the sword."_

The blacksmith looked at it again.

" _I do know it, and so do you, Sesshoumaru. Your mother's family treasure, wasn't it? Later given to humans due to a vow. A very old sword crafted by an unknown artist. Probably his masterpiece. But wait a second… Last time I saw it, yes… It has been fifty years ago. Why does it seem significantly older? Centuries older!"_

" _What?"_  Sesshoumaru in astonishment moved his gaze towards Yuutsuki. " _Explain yourself, human."_

Yuutsuki felt startled. Just a while ago, he had shown his kindness to her. Telling him the truth would probably shake the little thread of trust between them. She moved nervously.

" _Mister Totosai is right. The sword is ancient. It's been in my family for ages. There is a reason why it's older than it should. I don't mean to be bad-mannered, but I can clarify it only to Sesshoumaru."_

She thought it was reasonable to tell Sesshoumaru her real motives. Maybe he could help her. Clearly, he was not an enemy and was somewhat connected to her mission.

" _Fine. Totosai, are you sure the sword is_ _genuine_ _? Do you know its abilities?"_

" _It's the real one, yes."_  Totosai gave it back to Sesshoumaru.  _"I know it gives strength to the wielder, physical one. There are other_ _rumours_ _as well, but the_ _real abilities of the sword are known only to the creator. Maybe your mother would know more. Is it her who carriers it? You know what happens to humans that try to use demon swords…"_

" _It doesn't apply to her. Human, we are leaving."_

Before she managed to bow to the elder, she was again flying with Sesshoumaru in the familiar light.

The area changed completely. They were in a nearby forest.

" _We are alone, now speak up."_

Yuutsuki took a deep breath, it was hard to concentrate under his intense look.

" _I do not know when the sword was crafted, but currently it's around five hundred years older than it should be."_

She bundled herself up in her coat. The weather had gotten worse. Her face was really cold, if not for the long hair, her ears would be freezing. A strong wind was rocking the trees back and forth.

" _How is that possible? Explain!"_  Sesshoumaru was evidently getting impatient.

" _It's because I brought it with me, I brought it from the future, as well as the ring. I think that Totosai's opinion about the sword's age proves it."_

" _Future?"_

Yuutsuki nodded.

" _Kagome, Inuyasha's companion is from my time as well. Her family and mine had an alliance. I came to fulfil my family's vow."_

" _You are not lying, are you?"_

Sesshoumaru appeared truly interested, his eyes were sparkling in a curious way.

" _Honestly? I wouldn't dare."_  Who would? Nobody wanted to endanger their safety to an overwhelming demon, especially not a human.

" _So…"_  Sesshoumaru slowly spoke  _"Since you brought the ring and the sword from the future, currently there are two of each in this time."_

" _About the ring I am sure, but it's not with the Rens. It's missing. The sword… I have no idea, but I presume so."_ Yuutsuki had been thinking about it before and that was the only right assumption.

" _Tell me about the future."_

That surprised her. She didn't know what to start with. She resumed in few sentences how her times looked like, how things had changed and how demons, if still among humans, were inexistent. Sesshoumaru seemed unfazed by what the girl had told him and just asked:

" _Does the Ren clan know of your coming?"_

" _They don't, only you and Inuyasha and his party."_

" _Due to your ridiculous, human habits of politeness, we will rest here for the day and head for the Rens mansion in the morning. If you are hungry go fetch your own food, don't expect this Sesshoumaru-sama to bother himself with such trifles."_ said the great demon as he sat leaning against a tree.

Yuutsuki was relived to be given some freedom alone and time to rest. Her frail body could use some time-out, therefore the shut-eye was indeed welcome.

" _Damn it!"_  Inuyasha grunted in frustration.  _"There's no trace of her in here either"_

" _There's no point in searching like this, she could be anywhere by now"_ Sango's resigned words made the team reflect on what to do next.

The silence was broken by Kagome's assumption:  _"Maybe she was able to reach to her family somehow."_

" _Or maybe she's dead by now. Sesshoumaru isn't the type to like humans."_

" _Inuyasha, sit!"_ was the answer to the dog demon's lack of faith in their companions safety.

" _We might as well try there, it's our best bet so far. Although the place is quite distant from here, we won't get there before morning, after all we all need a rest."_ As the monk said this, he led the way.

Once having gathered some fruits and timber, Yuutsuki finally managed to start a fire. This was not an easy task for the wood was damped. Sesshoumaru kept his eyes closed and didn't move throughout the whole time, so the girl wasn't sure if he was asleep or just was avoiding looking at her clumsy attempts to settle.

While warming her hands in the faint fire, she decided to try the food she had brought. The first bite encouraged her to skip that night's meal, it had to be the same king of fruit Jaken had tried the day before. After spitting out that sour bit, Yuutsuki managed to catch a glimpse of the demon's look of disapproval. She tried to make herself as comfortable as she could, but the cold ground and empty stomach made it difficult.

Later that night, Sesshoumaru's rest was interrupted by the intense shivers of his human companion. Upon approaching the girl he noticed her hair covering her pale face and as he moved it, he saw her lips tinted violet from cold. The frail fire, the lass had lit, had long faded and the night's cold embraced the girl completely. Standing before her, the demon decided to gather some bigger and drier lumber to remake the fire. It wasn't long before the girls face regained its colour and along with it, the shivers stopped. One thing unwillingly captured his attention, the girl's sleepy smile of comfort. He returned to his previous position but he couldn't fall sleep anymore that night and remained awake until dawn.

_Grrrrrrrr…_  Yuutsuki's stomach complained in hunger, embarrassing her.

" _Has the future come to such a point where you can't even identify an apple tree?"_  Sesshoumaru's critic came disguised as a hint and it took Yuutsuki two leaps to stand next to the mentioned tree.

" _Eat quickly if you must, we aren't wasting any more time over foolishness. We will fly there."_

She did as she was told and not long after, the two were standing in front of an impressive mansion.

Sesshoumaru sniffed the air " _Inuyasha."_

" _What did you say?"_

" _Seems your happy group is close by."_

" _Yuu-chan we've been looking for you!"_ Kagome waved from Inuyasha's back in the distance as they approached the mansion.

" _We've been looking everywhere for you, what happened?"_

" _I don't have time for this. Human let's go inside and you half demon and the rest, disappear from here, this doesn't concern any of you."_

Not looking back, Sesshoumaru moved towards the gates. Yuutsuki threw an apologizing smile and followed him.

" _Wait, Sesshoumaru!"_  Kagome screamed.  _"It does concern us, she belongs to our group and we promised to help each other in a task! It's us that…"_

" _And seems you all have failed."_  Sesshoumaru's bitter accusation stopped Kagome's speaking.

" _Bastard, wanna fight?"_  Inuyasha took out his sword. The relation between the siblings was rather tense. Sesshoumaru touched the grip of his sword. Yuutsuki feared the worst when luckily, or not, around thirty armoured soldiers stepped forward out of the gates. Among them, there was a middle aged man on a horse, and he was the one who approached closer.

" _This is the Ren household, what's your business, demon?"_  His words were directed at Sesshoumaru.

" _Insolent!"_  Sesshoumaru growled.

Yuutsuki decided to take initiative. She felt an adrenaline rush upon reaching her ancestors household.

" _My name is Yuutsuki. I come along with Sesshoumaru-sama for an advice."_ She purposely didn't use her family name, too much of commotion was never welcomed.

" _Sesshoumaru-sama?" The man's face got paler. "Make way for Sesshoumaru-sama and his companion right away! The lord of the western lands came to pay a visit! Inform the head of the house!"_  Sesshoumaru and Yuutsuki were invited inside, however, Inuyasha´s group's entrance was denied.

" _I guess we have to wait for them to come out. Let's settle a camp."_  Miroku sighed in resignation, the rest reluctantly agreed.

As Yuutsuki and Sesshoumaru followed the man from before, the girl´s attention was centred in her surroundings. The mansion was more impressive on the inside rather than on the outside, the corridors were filled with artefacts she had only seen in museums or had read about, there was an unaccountable amount of maids going back and forward like worker ants, surely because of the demon´s presence. From where she was the courtyard was visible and at that time a match between two swordsmen was taking place. It was a training match and Yuutsuki would have enjoyed watching it if she didn't have to enter the room where the head of the house was waiting for her and Sesshoumaru. This room was even more impressive, the head of the house stood on higher ground when compared to his guests, to his left were two other men, to his right, a woman that seemed to be his wife and surrounding them was battle wear and luxurious pottery.

" _Welcome to our humble household. How can we be of service to Sesshoumaru-sama_?" Said the head of the house while bowing down, forehead touching the floor.

" _Spare the grovelling, Yoshiaki. We both know that you were never obedient_." Sesshoumaru took out Yuutsuki's sword.  _"This sword. Isn't it yours?"_

Yoshiaki got up and examined it. His hair was long and curly, fastened in a ponytail, resting on his shoulder, his eyes bright and clear.

" _Sesshoumaru-sama, it is indeed our sword. How come is it in your hands? As far as I know it's hidden in our armoury for many years now. Are you sure it's not forged? The ring was stolen, so the sword is unusable for humans."_

" _Ah yes, you failed to protect my family's request. Bring the other sword, I want to see it myself."_  The golden eyes were piercing the master of the house.

" _As you wish, Sesshoumaru-sama."_ The man´s behaviour changed and his hands were shaking, his voice cracking.

Yoshiaki gave a sign to one of his man, who left in a rush.

Not even a minute passed, and Yuutsuki's widened eyes saw a sword exactly the same as hers.

Sesshoumaru took both of them in his hands, keeping silent for a while. Nobody dared to say a word.

" _Yuutsuki, I acknowledge you, so shall they."_  The demon got up and said loudly:  _"Those two swords are exactly the same. Nonetheless, the one I brought is older. This girl in here,"_  He pointed the older sword at Yuutsuki.  _"Is called Ren, Yuutsuki. She brought the sword from the future to fulfil her duty. The proof is in front of your eyes."_ Sesshoumaru's claw scratched the younger blade, and everyone observed in astound how the scratch appeared on Yuutsuki's sword.

" _I demand you to assist her in any way necessary_." He continued.  _"Until she is ready to handle her weapon properly. She has to be taught well."_

Yuutsuki was surprised at Sesshoumaru's words, she had never expected him to protect her in such a way. The authority the silver haired demon had among both humans and demons was extraordinary.

" _Excuse my rudeness, Sesshoumaru-sama, but she will not be able to use it. It would require the ring…"_  Yoshiaki stopped, after throwing a glare at her hand.

" _The ring!"_  He shouted.  _"Why?"_

" _I brought it with me."_  Yuutsuki said quietly.

" _That's why you can use it."_  The head of the family looked at her weirdly. " _I know! We can just take the ring and live like nothing happened! Rejoice!"_  Yoshiaki´s behaviour resembled one of a deranged man. With a red face and a grin from ear to ear, the man kept looking around seeking the approval from his subjects who could only pity their irrational commander.

" _I´ve been searching…searching for it many years and now it just walks in…hahaha."_  Step by step Yoshiaki was getting closer to Yuutsuki, his hands were reaching out to her and his eyes fixed on the ring.

" _I see you have completely lost it, Yoshiaki."_  The man was unable to answer. Sesshoumaru´s poisonous claws were grasping his throat, venom burning his skin. The rest of household was watching in terror, too frightened to object.

" _Yuutsuki, we are leaving."_  the demon said before releasing the man´s throat.

" _Darling."_ The woman approached her husband who was motionlessly lying on the floor, not minding the burns on his neck.  _"What have you done demon!"_

" _This man´s reason has long left him, you should find a new head of family. Not like it matters anymore. The one to bear out the agreement between the Rens and my family will be this girl."_  Taking both swords, Sesshoumaru left the room and without uttering a word, Yuutsuki followed him. The girl was deeply disappointment and perhaps a bit ashamed of seeing her ancestor, that grandma had so often praised, succumb in such manner. Also, she had had great hopes for that visit and none of them were met, no answers, no instructions for the future.

Upon reaching the main gates of the mansion, Yuutsuki and Sesshoumaru were stopped by a tall bearded elder, who seemed to have been waiting for them to reach that location.

" _You'll need more than the ring to keep your sanity with that sword. Understand this before giving yourself any other training."_ This person emanated a stronger presence than anyone else in the mansion, his composure and manner of speaking were on a different level of any average human being, which was more impressive given the man's age.

" _What do you mean by that?"_  The girl curiously asked the elderly who silently was looking at the demon in the eyes. A meeting between rivals, there was no doubt they had crossed ways before.

" _Come, Yuutsuki."_  Sesshoumaru said as both males finally broke the intense contact. Already facing forward, the demon couldn't help smirking and that made the girl wonder what type of relationship he had with the mysterious man from before.

Already outside Sesshoumaru passed the older sword to Yuutsuki and said one short sentence:

" _Go with Inuyasha, I must attend a business. I will find you later."_

Effortlessly, he lifted up in the air, threw a last gaze at her, as if making sure she had heard properly and kept gracefully soaring forward.

The girl's eyes followed his figure, until it disappeared from the view. Sesshoumaru's change of mind about her had come as an unpredicted surprise, a pleasant one, for unconsciously she craved his attention.

Obviously everyone would look up to such a powerful creature, if not because adoration or respect, surely because of fear.

" _Yuu-chan, is everything fine? You didn't take long inside_." Kagome was already by her side.

Yuutsuki nodded any old how, just not to show disregard, and directed her words at the rest of the group while ceasing her breath.

" _I won't create more troubles. Can I continue travelling with you? I need training."_

Sango was the one who answered first.

" _Of course, that's why we were looking for you."_

" _Exactly. I am glad you are safe and fine."_  Miroku sent her one of his best smiles.

" _Keh, just don't get yourself taken again."_  Even Inuyasha seemed fine with it. A big weight was lifted from her mind.

Several days had passed and with Kagome's assistance Yuutsuki managed to get a glimpse of the act of purifying demons and feeling their aura. Nothing remarkable, she was still incapable of performing it properly, but one had to start somewhere. She had aided the group in gathering the shards of Shikon no Tama and had gotten more cognisant of the ring's powers.

There was no improvement in mastering the sword yet. Yuutsuki had been fighting demons, but the sword had been nothing more than an ordinary blade. Maybe the doubts in her heart didn't allow her to unleash the sword's power.

The girl had stopped thinking fondly of the monk, who was entirely submitted to Sango. Outwardly he had been tremendously nice to all women, but one could see the superior thread of understanding between those two. Kagome and Inuyasha were emotionally involved to a point that Inuyasha didn't want to lose Kagome from his sight. Yuutsuki had always wished to share such a special feeling with somebody. Awkwardly, despite of the benefits of being in the group, she felt like a fifth wheel.

It wasn't easy to integrate. Yuutsuki's slight sense of alienation resulted in solitary walks and intense training.

One cold night the girl was strolling to exhaust her body, when sensed a strong demon aura, just a moment afterwards, noticed a figure of a large animal. She squinted and the creature changed shape to human like. The being was known to her, that wild glare was unforgettable. Tarou. The blue eyes were shining in the dark, giving her shivers of a threat.

" _Oi. The tasty girl. Tonight Sesshoumaru-sama isn't with you, is he. "_  In a second he was standing behind her, inhaling her smell.

" _Are you scared?"_  Tarou asked, amused with her silence.

Yuutsuki swung her sword. The demon avoided it swiftly, but he didn't approach again.

" _I don't have time to play with you. I must meet Sesshoumaru-sama."_  He turned away.

" _Wait!"_  How badly she had wished to hear anything about the western lord _. "Why are you meeting him?"_

Tarou hesitated before answering.

" _The little human girl is dead. Sesshoumaru-sama treated her almost like a daughter. Currently he's killing everyone around him and I need to try to calm him down, but most likely I will fail and die."_  He looked like he wanted to add something, but he disappeared in a blink of an eye, not giving her a chance to ask more. Yuutsuki was left alone in the darkness, kneeling on cold, wet ground, wiping tears from her cheeks. She couldn't do anything for the late child, couldn't help the golden eyed demon. Nothing was left but a dark, bitter flavour.

The sun rose three times since that night. Yuutsuki hadn't uttered a word about Rin's death to anyone. To keep her mind busy she had been practising a lot, however without a decent rest her performance had been rather poor. She had feared never seeing Sesshoumaru again, and that was undoubtedly what had shaken her up the most, even though she was too ashamed to acknowledge it.

Yuutsuki intended to ask Inuyasha about the directions to Sesshoumaru's house, but there was no guarantee he would be there.

During the night she couldn't sleep yet again, therefore she decided to leave the camp and practise her sword skills further. Walking away from the fire, only the moonlight guided her way. Already among the trees, she fell under the impression of being observed, but it died rapidly. Barely few minutes later the dim awareness came back, only to fade like a last night's dream.

" _Wanna a partner to train?"_  Inuyasha came out from darkness, looking completely awake.

Sparring with him could benefit in improving her skills, so she agreed gladly.

The demon didn't have problems fending off her blows, but after a while of constant attacks, his expression changed. Yuutsuki noticed a difference, her strength and speed increased as she sensed a smooth warmness coming out from the ring. The weapon seemed to have dissimilar sensation to it, as if reacting to her desires to match up to Inuyasha's power and speed.

Their little training transformed to a ferocious battle, which pretty much finished when Inuyasha's blow felled her to the ground, his sword aiming straight at her neck. Suddenly a ball of light whizzed above Yuutsuki, knocking Inuyasha down. The sensation of a known demon being near embraced her, the girl's lips moved slightly just to whisper:

" _Sesshoumaru…"_

Hearing that, Sesshoumaru put his eyes on her, leaving her flabbergasted. A pair of bloody red orbs was in the place of the usual indifferent, golden look. The enraged demon was about to rip the guts out of Inuyasha, but the girl's words had stopped him. His eyes reverted to normal and he freed his half-brother, which fell on the ground, still unconscious. Yuutsuki checked Inuyasha's state, he seemed unwounded. Before she managed to question about anything, Sesshoumaru's strong arm grabbed her and using his fast transportation he took them to a totally different place.

They were standing near the rocky shore of a lake, the moon's reflection was flickering in the water.

Many leaves were falling down with every gust of wind, the landscape was really charming.

Sesshoumaru's outfit was different from before, no fancy clothing and armour, only plain, brown obi.

They were standing side to side in silence. When Yuutsuki was about to dare and break it, the demon slowly spoke, staring into space:

" _You cannot die. You shall not."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sesshoumaru had changed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was not reviewed thoroughly, be aware =)

 

She pictured his unforeseen words, as an imaginational caress warmly stroking her heart with a balmy touch of emotion. Probably, he hadn't intended to give his words such calibre, but then again Yuutsuki was immensely contented to experience a little sign of the great demon's affection.

It had been quite worrisome, Sesshoumaru had kept quiet since then, standing like a stone monument, unmovable in any away. The girl really desired to hear that Tarou's words had been false, facing the sadness of Rin's death was just unthinkable.

Yuutsuki threw another look at Sesshoumaru's apathetic face. One would expect his face to appear distraught or harsh, on the contrary, the expression was comparable to the usual one, just his golden eyes seemed to have lost something from their previous sparkle.

The girl could almost taste his bitter mood, it was like the air between them, existent, but invisible.

Darkness surrounding them seemed to be sucking out his energy. The cold penetrated her body, causing repetitive shivers, awaiting Sesshoumaru's words her feet froze slightly. Slowly, the demon turned towards Yuutsuki, giving her a gaze she had never seen on him before. The golden eyes were distinctly looking for consolation and she had no idea how to comfort him. Things got even poorer when he said:

" _I shall take you back."_

Yuutsuki honestly didn't comprehend it, apparently he had desired to see her, and after spending few minutes together he had chosen to take her back.

" _Why?"_  Simple as it was, the question included a hearable tension and Yuutsuki's lip trembled. She had been bafflingly drawn to him. So much, that the possibility of losing his sight for a longer time was equivalent to a dog's unwillingness to leave its master.

He had apparently sensed it, otherwise he would not say:

" _Humans are a weakness."_

Yuutsuki put the right hand on the sword resting on her hip. The girl's upright posture met a strong blow of the cold wind, dispersing her hair. She did not tremble though. On the contrary, she stood proudly, drawing Sesshoumaru's look.

The wind abated, making Yuutsuki's hair fall softly on her shoulders.

" _Nonetheless you came. To me, a human."_

Sesshoumaru kept silent, letting his eyes wander on the girl. His gaze was impenetrable, but it only made her more curious about his thoughts. In the least expected moment he spoke and the girl stirred at his words.

" _Foolish, cease your whining and let me conclude."_ Sesshoumaru admonished her. His attitude had changed, became his usual self.

Taking her silence for a tacit acceptance of his demand, he continued.

" _You are a weak human, but your sword isn't. I have comprehended the method to make it tractable. From now on you shall sword practise."_

Yuutsuki had been awaiting such opportunity, but the strong sense of obligation kept on her shoulders.

" _For what I must do, it's relevant for me to stay with Kagome."_

" _I have already foreknown it. Your training is of a great importance, consequently I shall go with you."_

The girl smirked in disbelief.

" _I doubt it will work out."_

" _Wherein lies the difficulty?"_

" _You are surely not gregarious, there might be certain… Issues…"_

" _While I, the great demon, am among others, they instantly become my subjects. Whoever dares to repudiate will regret it."_  Hissing loudly, he took a big step towards the girl, leaving only few centimetres between them.

" _It applies to you as well."_

" _What happened to Tarou?"_

He certainly didn't expect the enquiry, the sudden topic change brought back the lacking sparkle in the golden eyes. The sharp jaw tightened, as if the name of the black haired demon had recalled a feeling of annoyance.

" _So you are cognizant of the situation."_

" _I have met him four days ago…"_  The demon kept silent awaiting details.  _"He told me about the death of ..."_

He interrupted abruptly:

" _Do not utter her name."_  The voice carried a tone of solitude, also a warning.

"…  _Rin."_  Yuutsuki had always considered that painful memories needed to be reminisced; disremembering them was merely an illusionary distraction leading to more pain.

His eyes narrowed and darkened, yet he said nothing. She had been expecting a rebuke or even an attack. She continued.

" _Tarou was on his way to meet you… Did he?"_

" _Yes."_  The girl wanted to hear more, being curious by nature, however Sesshoumaru was reluctant to say more. She supposed the topic was like treading on thin ice, nevertheless decided to ask for more facts.

" _Sesshoumaru…Did you fight him?"_

" _There is nothing else you need to know. I will take you back and at dawn we begin your teaching."_

He would not tolerate any more disobedience or answer any questions.

The demon touched her shoulder and their location changed. Before she could judge the surroundings he quietly said:

" _At dawn, here."_  Yuutsuki wanted to ask more, but the moment she'd turned to face him, he vanished in the darkness, still leaving the massive, powerful demon aura. The girl quickly recognized the place. It was the same one where Sesshoumaru had suddenly attacked Inuyasha. She slowly dragged her feet to the camp.

Sesshoumaru had changed. Rin's death had wounded him, causing irrational actions like losing himself in rage. Was he calmer already? It was all inscrutable to her.

Reaching the fire took her less than five minutes, how surprised she was to see that everyone had been awake.

" _Yuutsuki!"_  Sango shouted, noticing her.

" _Thank god you are safe! Sesshoumaru attacked Inuyasha and took you away. We were so worried!"_  Kagome assumed things wrongly. The dog demon got up and angrily said:

" _Where is that bastard?"_

Yuutsuki didn't expect such a scene. Sesshoumaru had attacked him, but probably hadn't assumed the real situation.

" _I don't think he wanted to cause any harm…"_  The girl said quietly while warming her hands above the dancing flames of fire.

" _That's why he knocked me unconscious? Why are you protecting him? Aren't you a part of our group?"_  Boldness in the demon's blood took over, Inuyasha was clearly attacking her.

" _Inuyasha, don't be mean to Yuutsuki. For sure she has her reasons…"_  Despite the words Miroku seemed to doubt her as well.

" _I apologise to have you worried. There is a reason why Sesshoumaru behaved like this, shamefully I cannot help you understand, I do not understand it myself completely and it pesters me."_

" _Inuyasha is a bit right, you promised to help us, yet you don't want to share such an important fact…"_  Yuutsuki didn't expect such a reaction, apparently they had assumed that secretly she was betraying them behind their back. Kagome had joined the assumption.

Sango got up and looked straight into her eyes.

" _We can't trust you if you don't trust us."_

The atmosphere became heavier, their intense glare, not a friendly one, allowed her to feel how inapt her presence in the group was.

" _It will be troublesome if Sesshoumaru turns out to be an enemy. He is really powerful."_ Said the monk, observing the girl thoroughly.

" _Sesshoumaru is not an enemy. Our enemy is Naraku."_

" _Why so certain?"_  Inuyasha kept attacking her, Kagome added:  _"You must know something!"_

Yuutsuki found herself irritated. Their complaining about a minor incident had annoyed her greatly. Nobody had gotten hurt, much ado about nothing.

" _I do not see the reason to prove my loyalty in such a manner."_

The group was surprised by her words, Yuutsuki continued while getting away from the fire:

" _Even if I do know something, it doesn't matter. Sesshoumaru is not an enemy and you will have a chance to confirm it. If you want my help you will have to bear his presence nearby for a while. He's going to train me."_

" _Yuu, why would he train you? He hates people, he cares only for Rin, the little girl that…"_  Kagome's curiosity was the same as always, but her words provoked second thoughts.

" _I know. Think among yourself if you need my help. I will come back tomorrow."_ Yuutsuki interrupted her decidedly. She wanted to leave them and think things over. Not minding them calling her back, she advanced in the forest, regretting it shortly, for the night was cold and unpleasant.

The girl sat down, supporting her back against a tree, remembering not to fall asleep. She estimated the dawn wouldn't come anytime soon. Rubbing the numb hands wasn't enough to warm them up.

Blows of the wind seemed like piercing daggers of ice, provoking pain and shivers. Closing her eyes only for a second, she sensed a familiar aura. Before the girl had almost dozed off she heard Sesshoumaru's voice:

" _Falling asleep here is a mistake."_

Yuutsuki was really sleepy, she only managed to smile and say:

" _I know."_

" _Irrational human, should have stayed with the others."_

Yuutsuki couldn´t stop the overwhelming shivers, she really wanted to be next to a warming fire with a thick cover over her shoulders. Was it really necessary to stay with Kagome and the rest to fulfil her promise? Was it impossible to aid her from afar? So many questions and doubts had been hounding the girl.

" _Return before you freeze."_

" _Tell me about Rin."_  Her gibberish was barely audible, but the great demon had no troubles understanding.

Sesshoumaru had been all the time behind her, so his expression remained unknown, as Yuutsuki could imagine, he became foreseeably angry.

" _So forthright again. Very well, I shall tell you."_  She didn't expect such an answer, yet again Sesshoumaru had shown his other face. Deciding to keep quiet, not to discourage him by chance, she awaited his words.

" _Rin is gone… She was… murdered by Naraku while my house was under attack." He_  stopped for a second. Yuutsuki heard him move and she assumed he had supported himself on the other side of the same tree she had.

" _She was the only one I have ever urged to protect, therefore I will seek revenge. The fastest way to destroy Naraku is to use the ring's ability in order to separate him from Shikon no Tama, attack and kill his weakened form."_

Even though Yuutsuki had heard the words, her drowsiness didn't allow her to analyse the situation accurately. The girl's head fell inertly and she dozed off into deep sleep.

Sesshoumaru did notice it, yet he spoke to himself:

" _It's possible only if you stay alive, human."_

" _Wake up."_

Sesshoumaru's low voice barged through Yuutsuki's vague dream, blurring the remains of its memories. Yuutsuki opened her eyes instantaneously, realising how troublesome her falling asleep had been. She had left him with a nuisance to deal with; luckily he had not let her freeze outside.

Instead humid, cold ground she was lying down on a pile of hay, surrounded by several streams of light illuminating the place. Sesshoumaru probably had carried her there and had arranged the bedding.

The uncomfortable thought crossed Yuutsuki's mind when she focused her sight on the demon's face. The girl avoided the golden eyes and her cheeks turned rosy, the fact did not escape Sesshoumaru's attention.

" _Is there something wrong?"_  His silver hair slid down on the brown obi as he bent down.

Feeling abashed by his question, she lowered her head in order to recompose herself.

" _Food. I forgot humans eat more often. How trivial."_  The unexpected, contemptuous tone in his voice woke up the rebellious part of her character. Yuutsuki lifted her head abruptly wanting to answer him in a vicious manner, but she couldn't utter a word, for the distance between their faces was not bigger than ten centimetres. A mixed sensation of fear and excitement doomed her chest.

The girl could see each and every detail of the somewhat weary, golden eyes. Holding her breath, she couldn't divert from the sight.

" _Sleep, eat, rest, humans have no time to train."_

Desires of giving him a vitriolic answer had been forgotten, but his arrogant remarks continued. Yuutsuki really wanted to say something evenly unkind, but as a matter of fact she only clenched her fists and shook her head violently.

A quibble with Sesshoumaru wasn't the brightest idea, therefore asking something totally unrelated seemed the best way to refrain from troubles.

Omitting his inappropriate words, she spoke:

" _What about Kagome and the rest? It's probable that they will move soon."_

The demon frowned, getting up suddenly. A few seconds passed, before he answered. It looked as if he had been thinking about something unpleasant. His face had changed to a harsh one, the eyes had darkened. Turning his back at her, Yuutsuki heard his rather annoyed voice.

" _Do not worry, you will return before nightfall. I can easily locate the half-breed. I need to go somewhere. I won't be long, so be ready by then."_

He left hastily, leaving the befuddled girl alone.

Yuutsuki sighed and recomposed her clothing. It would be nice to visit the hot springs after the training. How glad was she, that in reality, she could survive in such conditions. Sleeping outside and washing in freezing water was indeed a big shock to her, although it felt like an amazing experience of nature. A man as an individual was insignificant and powerless.

Deciding to look around Yuutsuki picked up her sword and stretched lazily. The weather remained chilly, but the cold air was quite energising.

Sesshoumaru really had left, there was no sign of him around, the girl sighed one more time and quickly localized a fruit tree, feeling her stomach's demands for food.

Several minutes passed and the demon still had yet to return, which made her really interested in the reasons of his sudden disappearance. She kept on pondering for quite a while, albeit after around an hour of his absence she became worried.

There was nothing to be done though. The girl had no clue, nor trace of him, so the wisest action was indeed to wait patiently.

The wind abated, and that fact alone made the environment change drastically. Cold air became heavier to breathe, birds' screeches echoed ominously around the place. At the moment unsheathing her sword seemed like a good idea, she didn't feel safest alone in such silence.

She stretched her arms forward, grasping the sword tightly. Yuutsuki sensed an unfamiliar aura approaching extremely rapidly in her direction. There was no time to contemplate possible actions, for the intruder was about to attack, leaving almost no time for reactions. The only thing the girl could do, was to evade the attack by sensing it, because the eyes could not follow the speed of the opponent.

' _A strong demon'_  She thought to herself as she dodged it. One of her advantages was speed, but she could not compare herself to the lightning movements of that creature. She had been lucky to avoid the previous strike, next time it could be different.

Yuutsuki's scared mind wasn't sober enough to clearly analyse the situation. Being incapable of forming a plan, she decided to strike the iron while it was hot. Just after the girl had dodged the attack, using as much force as she could, she aimed the blade at the enemy, hoping to take advantage of the moment of exposure.

To her surprise, it promptly turned out to be a failure for her sword had been deflected, and she had received a strong kick in the stomach, making her lose the grip of the sword's hilt.

Yuutsuki coughed several times while looking at the demon.

" _Unexpected, you sensed me. Normally Rens are feeble in that."_

The girl met bright, brown eyes of a male demon with glossy, black hair reaching his shoulders. He was dressed in black, only his belt was white, quite matching the colour of his face. There were two red demon marks on the pale complexion of his face. Yuutsuki slowly got up, intensively observing him.

" _You don't have the worst endurance ever either and your speed is quite good. But the moment you let go of your sword…"_  The silky voice stopped and in a blink of an eye his pale hand squeezed Yuutsuki's throat, bringing her closer to him.

" _You die."_  The girl could not breathe, which was apparently amusing to the demon. When she was about to faint, he threw her off on near rocks.

" _Starting today, I am your teacher."_

She could have done nothing to protect herself from the damage. After the fall she had felt an acute pain on her cheek and left arm. In fear, she quickly got up on her knees and with her palm touched the injured cheek.

Yuutsuki's hands began to shake as she saw the amount of blood coming out from the wounds.

" _You will suffer if you don't improve."_  It didn't sound like a good advice, more like a threat.

His arrogant tone enraged her greatly. He was just a sadistic bastard, happily enjoying beating her up.

" _My sword."_  She tried to wipe the blood from her cheek, but it just kept on flowing.

He laughed out loud and asked:

" _And what will you do with it, weakling?"_

" _Shut up you scum! Do you wish for a fight or not?"_  Yuutsuki got up tightening her fists.

The ring was burning her finger, just as anger was burning in her heart, leaving no place for fear anymore.

" _Helplessly naive…"_ The unknown demon appeared offended by her words.

But suddenly his eyes widened and he knelt with his face low. Yuutsuki sensed Sesshoumaru's aura at the same moment. He was standing just behind her, his clothes ragged, claws carrying signs of blood. He looked as if he had been taken away from a battlefield.

" _Sesshoumaru-sama…"_  The brown eyed demon whispered.

Sesshoumaru ignored the demon and threw a look at Yuutsuki. He swept away hair that had glued to her bloodied cheek and said quietly:

" _Do not worry, there will be no scar."_  She nodded slightly, still shocked by his appearance.

" _Why are you here?"_  Sesshoumaru's voice changed, he sounded once again like an aggressive dog.

" _I was commanded by your mother, Sesshoumaru-sama. She said that the Rens' girl needs training."_

In spite of the stranger's position, his voice sounded completely disrespectful.

" _She does, yet you granted her a beating. Do not say you were merely testing her abilities."_

Sesshoumaru was slowly walking towards the other demon.

" _You are reading my mind, Sesshoumaru…-sama."_

The two demons kept staring at each other in silence. None of them made a slightest move. It totally looked like a beginning of a fight. The girl was not aware of the actual relation between these two, surely they were not friends.

Yuutsuki bit her lip and decided to speak.

" _I would like to know what the current situation is."_

Sesshoumaru did not budge when the black haired demon spoke:

" _Sesshoumaru-sama, your mother told me to pass you a message…"_

Apparently both of them had ignored her, pretending not to hear her previous words. The demon continued.

" _She said to tolerate her wishes, otherwise she will need to…"_

" _Needless to say more. You are allowed to fulfil your order, nevertheless while in here you follow my rules and orders."_

Sesshoumaru interrupted, standing just in front of him.

" _Your mother will be pleased."_

" _You are not allowed to injure the human. You are to treat her with respect. Once you break the rules not even my mother will save you."_

The great demon picked up Yuutsuki's sword, and hailed the girl with a hand gesture.

" _I am aware of the situation, my lord. Be it as you say."_

" _Come back tomorrow at the same time."_

" _Yes, my lord."_

The second after the strange demon left the place and she was alone with Sesshoumaru.

" _I thought you would train me_ …" Yuutsuki said quietly, while clumsily trying to stop the bleeding from the injured arm. A mixture of feelings in her head had made her unable to say anything else.

" _So did I."_  He reached for her cheek, dipping his fingertip in her blood, later smudging it. The girl stood motionlessly like hypnotized.

The demon lifted his head up to observe the sky and out of nothing said:

" _Red does not suit you."_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank You for reading.
> 
> P.S. Sesshoumaru had a fight. With who? You will get to know in the next chapter.


	7. Chapter 7

Sesshoumaru detested human blood. Its appearance, scent... It was all identical. The red, dense substance had been recalling moments of forlornness, leaving him bleak.

Naraku's tentacles of misfortune had reached his household, being dauntless enough to steal a precious thing from him, shattering his dreams of future and awaking a true monster in him.

Sesshoumaru's usual stoic composure had been swept away in an instant, as Rin's dead body had been reflected in his eyes, for the image had clouded his mind and heart completely.

A bursting fire had exploded, resulting in mass slaughters on random creatures, be it humans or demons. The thirst for blood had been going on incessantly for days, until he had encountered an opponent known to him, a subject of his, Tarou. After a fierce fight, the general had been able to bring the great lord to his senses, explaining to him what really had happened.

Sesshoumaru had been sure about the existence of a spy in his household, the assassination of the major part of his trusted, most reliable subordinates and advisers must have been arranged in some manner beforehand. Frankly, he had been ready to abandon the remaining followers and desert his ruined house for the sake of finding a worthy opponent to honourably end his life, for he could not have imagined living without his ray of joy, the deceased little Rin. Amazingly, seeing a familiar face had made him disregard all ridiculous ideas he had had before, allowing him to properly focus on the duties of the lord of the west.

Regarding Rin's death, he had sworn an oath to himself, to avenge the child.

In that arduous period of time, Sesshoumaru's mother had aided him greatly with troops and resources needed to reclaim what belonged to him. Her generosity was unusual, for she had been always avoiding prying in his affairs. The great demon had decided to resolve the issues while training the Rens' girl, her abilities could be crucial in achieving his objectives. His mother had been firmly insisting on enforcing Yuutsuki's duties towards their family. Bothersome as it was, he could not allow the girl's death or harm; his pride would not bear the disgrace of not keeping the conditions of the agreement.

Yuutsuki looked at her face reflecting in the blade of her old sword. There was an extensive, red scratch on her cheek. Washing it had made it better, but the girl was still worried about the scar that could develop afterwards. Her arm hurt with every movement, she had had troubles washing it before. Sesshoumaru had his eyes closed, but he was surely awake, probably deep in thought.

Standing nearby, she ran her tongue across dry lips, observing motionless Sesshoumaru resting against a tree.

Yuutsuki had been curious about what had made him so exhausted, yet had no courage to straightforwardly ask about it.

" _Yuutsuki."_  The girl's heart thudded against her chest. He did not open his eyes, knowing she would listen carefully.

" _Your training will be supervised by Ryou, the demon you met before."_  He said this in a calm voice, as a statement of fact. Since his mother had decided on the mentor, there was no possibility of the girl's death.

" _I refuse."_

" _You cannot."_

She stood quite still, her watery eyes staring down at the ground and her fists clenched.

" _I will not train with him. He is bound to kill me in no time."_

" _Take a look at your ring."_

Yuutsuki didn't see any point in it, however she obeyed. The silver ring was the same as always, three coloured jewels sparkled like dewdrops in the morning sunlight.

" _Ryou's loyalty lies within my mother. My mother's father proposed the alliance between our families. Do not fear for your safety. Do not reject your duty."_

She didn't share his opinion; her aching body was contradicting his words. Sesshoumaru's eyes kept closed, his head bent down, hair covering his face and arms loosely resting on the ground. He seemed tired, his voice weary and breathing quite loud and unstable.

Yuutsuki only now comprehended the situation clearly, her family's duty and responsibility.

Naturally, she could not refuse. Helping Kagome was undeniably her aim, albeit the double alliance was forcing her to do more, furthermore the main goal was to destroy Shikon no Tama, currently kept in Naraku's possession, in addition used for ill deeds. Yuutsuki's role was obvious, she felt ashamed it took her so long to figure it out. It was exactly how Sesshoumaru had said, regardless of her pride and self-respect, she had been a subject of his, a subject with a mission to fulfil.

She could not act as she normally would in her world. It was needed to adjust to this world's customs and patterns, so she could successfully finish her duty. The faster it was done, the more beneficial to all party.

Yuutsuki approached him closely and uttered his name, now with the respectable suffix.

" _Sesshoumaru-sama."_

The demon opened his eyes, still keeping his impenetrable expression. His breathing calmed down noticeably, yet he still avoided any unnecessary movement. Even in such position he looked mighty. Truly like a lord, who wouldn't bend to anyone.

Yuutsuki knelt on the ground, folding her legs underneath thighs, while resting her buttocks on her heels, hands modestly placed in the lap, the back straight. The girl had performed the traditional formal way of sitting.

" _Your position is flawless, you were taught well."_  Sesshoumaru admitted indifferently.

" _Thank You. If I may ask, who did you fight with?"_

He frowned, not being sure what the girl's point was.

" _That is none of your concern."_  There was no hesitation in his reply.

" _Judging from your look and condition you did not resolve it. Do you intend to fight again?"_

The demon's jaw tightened and his sharp, golden glance pierced Yuutsuki's dark eyes. He kept silent, clearly not delighted with her questions.

" _If the enemy has a shard of Shikon no Tama, let me go with you_." She pleaded, withstanding the intense glare.

" _You are incapable of fighting. It's a battlefield, there are dozens of enemies."_

" _Tell me about the one who caused your current state."_

" _Persistent!"_  Sesshoumaru hissed out of anger, saying through his teeth.

" _My presence is enough to nullify Shikon no Tama. All shards nearby would lose power."_

Yuutsuki lowered her voice and focused her sight on the ground, unable to bear his glance anymore.

" _I do not have much energy. If I use instant transportation, depending on the fight I might not be able to use it again to return."_

The girl smiled. He finally listened to her!

" _Tell me about the enemy…"_  Noticing his annoyed face, she quickly added:  _"If you please."_

The expression did not change, but he did answer her.

" _A Naraku´s reincarnation with 5 shards, along with forty strong demons."_

The demon got up and stretched his arm towards her.

" _Are you ready?"_

Yuutsuki nodded and stood up, grabbing his hand. In a second she saw the familiar light of energy accompanying the transportation.

When they arrived, the view left the girl speechless. The area was filled with an ominous aura, loud screams from the last ones still in battle were echoing in the air. Broken weapons and pieces of armour had taken the place that previously had belonged to flowers and plants which embezzled the ground, now tainted with blood. The wind carried the rotten smell of the innumerable amount of dead bodies in the area. She stared at Sesshoumaru aghast, as the great lord of the west stood unfazed by the scenery, an expression of one that had seen much death.

" _I am reclaiming my lands, sacrifices need to be done. Watch your back, there are enemies left."_

" _I should get closer to Naraku's reincarnation."_

Yuutsuki was frightened, her hands were trembling, honestly she just wanted to do her part and leave that place. Blood was spread everywhere, torn apart corpses, and inners lying around making the girl nauseous.

Unlike Kagome, Yuutsuki could not sense shards of Shikon no Tama, but due to his heightened senses, in particular the smell, the demon knew well where his foe was. He was striding confidently, his posture dignified whilst entirely prepared to attack. The appearance itself repelled the enemy successfully, thus an image of Sesshoumaru killing somebody was still unknown to her.

He only stopped when they reached an enormous, not smaller than four meters tall creature, with five hunchbacked, human-like shapes without limbs. The body of the demon had similar consistence to a snake, fully scaled in a greasy, transparent substance. The hunchbacked shapes were moving like an octopus's tentacles, all of them in the same way, making the creature even more disgusting.

Yuutsuki felt a familiar sensation, warmth around the silver ring, soon after the three jewels aligned and she already knew: the shards had been nullified.

The foe's power dropped significantly, its shape and size became scrawny as the shards changed into stones, losing their shine.

Using the element of surprise, for the enemy had no idea what had happened, Sesshoumaru set off like an arrow, taking out the same sword Yuutsuki owned and slashed the beast in half, drawing out a furious scream of it.

In the same time the ring returned to its regular shape, and the girl fell on her knees. Nullifying the shards had always consumed a lot of energy, so obviously five at the same time had provoked a great exhaustion to her already injured body.

The creature's body reunited, still able to fight, albeit weakened. The dog demon did not foresee a rapid counterattack, but his astonishing reflexes allowed him to evade it effortlessly.

" _As expected of Naraku's reincarnation."_ Sesshoumaru growled at the unexpected turn of events.

He took out another sword, started to wave it in the air and screamed:

" _Soryuha!"_  Several thunders stroke from the sky, creating a blue, dragon shaped energy that swayed towards the enemy in an instant. Yuutsuki observed the fight in agape, marvelling how powerful Sesshoumaru was.

The attack was partly avoided, but the creature's movements and speed had changed completely, unable to match up with Sesshoumaru's power anymore. Its death was imminent.

The great dog demon was about to finish the beast's life, when a glowing barrier separated it from his venomous claws and the creature vanished along with the other enemies around them.

Sesshoumaru picked up the nullified shards swiftly, and approached Yuutsuki.

" _I cannot turn them back, I am sorry if I disappointed you."_

The girl had assumed that the great demon desired the shards for himself, seeking power even greater than his.

" _I have no interest in it. I only rely on my sword to accompany me."_

Yuutsuki was confounded by her previous assumption, so much that she didn't dare to meet the golden eyes.

" _Hold on to these."_  He forced the shards in her hand and yelled very loudly to the space.

" _Soldiers, to me!"_

In a blink of an eye a group of four demons appeared around Sesshoumaru, all of them kneeling with their heads down.

" _There are no enemies left in the area, Sesshoumaru-sama."_  Yuutsuki recognized Tarou's characteristic tone of voice.

" _Tarou, join the other squads, but leave somebody watching over the place until we enforce the borders."_

" _Yes, my lord!"_

They scattered around, leaving the dog demon and the wounded girl alone on the battlefield.

"You look adversely."

Yuutsuki cast a questioning look at him, being uncertain of his words' meaning.

" _Your face is pale and your garment is tainted with blood."_

He kept looking at her from above. The girl had other outfits left with Inuyasha and the rest, but presently she had no way of retrieving it.

" _Nullifying drains out my energy, in addition the landscape makes me nauseous."_

Sesshoumaru touched her shoulder slightly and they both disappeared in a sphere of energy.

Yuutsuki was walking among the trees for ten minutes already, but there was no trace of Kagome yet. The sun had already set, and in the air there was a blue, smoky glow of early winter evening.

Sesshoumaru had left her in hot springs, allowing her to refresh herself and thoroughly clean the wounds. Later he had entrusted her with Tenseiga, for her to convalesce before the following day's training with Ryou, although he had clarified he would retrieve it shortly.

Finally, he had instructed her to go back to Kagome, giving her specified directions to the group's location. They were to be in a village, probably exterminating a demon in exchange of food and shelter.

Suddenly Yuutsuki sensed powerful energy, but it vanished a moment afterwards, leaving her under the impression that she had imagined it.

It started to rain, so the girl quickened her pace, hoping to avoid the icy pouring as much as possible.

After approximately a minute, she reached the village, noticing inhospitable stares of its habitants. Her clothing was rather peculiar, moreover it was all dingy and covered in blood. Yuutsuki's eyes were scanning in vain the vicinity for any signs of Kagome.

She decided to ask in a nearby shrine and it couldn't have been more of a correct decision. Inside she was informed in which house they had been staying.

She hesitated before knocking, remembering the last time they had talked. The atmosphere between them had been acrid, mainly because of Sesshoumaru's violent attack. In retrospect she had to reluctantly concede some of her words too harsh, nevertheless her personality overly driven by pride would not allow her to apologise for it.

Yuutsuki knocked twice, awaiting a response.

She heard steps advancing towards the door and just afterwards she was facing Miroku's radiant smile, which disappeared quickly, upon noticing the wound on her face.

" _Yuutsuki! Come in."_

The monk let her through, closing the door with a fast movement, preventing the cold form getting inside the modest hut. Kagome, Sango and Inuyasha were sitting by a fire, all of them shocked, probably by the state of her clothing and face.

Yuutsuki noticed her backpack in the corner of the room, luckily they had brought it with them.

" _What an awful face, did Sesshoumaru beat you up?"_  Inuyasha asked curiously, with a dumb expression.

" _Yuu-chan, you are covered in blood, what happened_?" Sango seemed equivalently curious. She got up, putting her hand on Yuutsuki's shoulder in a comforting manner.

" _I will be fine in no time, thank you for your concern."_ She smiled and sat down next to Kagome, reaching for her pocket.

" _Kagome, I have something for you."_  The younger girl looked at her with visible concern in the eyes.

Yuutsuki grabbed Kagome's hand and put the nullified shards on the girl's palm. They immediately flared with the usual, bright violet sparkle, for they had returned to normal.

" _Five shards! That's more than what we have now! Yuu-chan, thank you so much!"_  Kagome hugged the girl tightly, causing pain in her wounded arm.

" _Five?"_  Inuyasha yelled in disbelief, taking a thorough look at the shards, as if making sure they were real. Miroku said just afterwards:

" _I hope you didn't get injured while collecting these. Five shards in one day, that's something impressive. How did you manage that? And how did you find us?"_

Yuutsuki got warmer, so she decided to take off her coat.

" _Sesshoumaru gave them to me, knowing I would bring the shards to Kagome. He even told me your location."_

" _Sesshoumaru did? That's unexpected."_  Sango couldn't believe the words. Her beautiful eyes widened in surprise.

" _Indeed, seems like we weren't right in our judgement…"_  Miroku accompanied her.

" _Isn't this Tenseiga?"_  Kagome interrupted the topic. Everyone looked towards Yuutsuki's hip, confirming Kagome's suspicion. Completely puzzled by the fact, Inuyasha asked:

" _Why do you have my father's sword?"_

" _My training starts tomorrow and I need to recover fast. This sword seems to accelerate the process."_

" _You are saying that Sesshoumaru allowed you to use HIS sword?"_  Inuyasha's eyes resembled two large, golden buttons.

" _Do not get me wrong, as soon as I recover I am to return it."_

" _I can't belie…"_

The monk interrupted Inuyasha's complaining:

" _Tenseiga is a demon sword. Does the ring enable you to use any demon sword?"_ Miroku seemed to be deep in thought, rubbing his chin constantly.

" _That's correct, Miroku. Maybe I could even use Inuyasha's sword."_  She giggled.

" _Not happenin'!"_  Inuyasha replied and everyone burst in laugh.

Within an hour everyone had already eaten and Yuutsuki had changed to clean clothing. Sango had asked her to accompany her to the town's representative to thank him for the hospitality. Later on Sango picked up herbs for Yuutsuki's wounds, claiming that there would be no trace left on her cheek by the next day.

On their way back the girls rushed to the hut as fast as possible, because the darkness was coming on. That afternoon's rain had chilled the air, so that the evening was bleak and gloomy. There were no stars in the sky, and a light, icy drizzle had set in.

To their surprise, there was another person inside the hut.

A young woman in a formal, white kimono, flower patterned, mostly on the bottom and the left side of the garment. Her eyes were dark like a moonless night, matching the thin, black hair barely reaching her shoulders.

"Sango, Yuutsuki, we have a visitor." Inuyasha didn't seem pleased. The girls sat down, constantly ogling the stranger.

"Excuse my rudeness, which of you is Yuutsuki?" A high-pitched voice broke through silence.

Yuutsuki couldn't believe it actually had come from the newcomer's thick lips, for the voice was worthy of a young child.

" _What's your business with me?"_  Yuutsuki threw her a daring glare.

" _Nice to meet you. I am Ren Oka. On behalf of my clan, please take me to Sesshoumaru-sama. "_

While saying that, she had made sure that everyone noticed her valuable earrings.

" _Another Ren? Why do you wanna see Sesshoumaru?"_  Inuyasha spoke wearily, yawning.

Oka ignored the half demon completely, making him evidently angry.

" _Why would I take you to him?"_

" _That is only for Sesshoumaru-sama's ears."_  Her hands along with red, painted nails covered her cheeks, as if she had said something extremely embarrassing.

" _I cannot fulfil your request. I simply do not know where he is."_  Yuutsuki disliked everything about her, the behaviour, appearance and voice. There was something devious about her, not allowing her to cause positive feelings. Maybe it was the fact, that Oka's eyes were focused only on her ring, making Yuutsuki suspicious about her reasons, and doubting her sincerity.

" _Yuu-chan, isn't she from your clan. For sure she means no harm. Just introduce her when Sesshoumaru comes…"_  Kagome expressed her concern.

" _Keh, he won't care to see her. I wouldn't."_  Yuutsuki really liked Inuyasha's comment, she shared his opinion.

" _No way…"_  Oka became depressed, and apparently Sango felt bad for her, because she comforted her saying:

" _We will see when he comes. Yuutsuki, didn't you say you are meeting him tomorrow?"_

" _If he comes, that is."_  Sesshoumaru had said he would come, however teasing the snob girl was tempting.

Sango and Kagome proposed Oka to stay the night with them, to which she agreed happily, without any hesitation.

Everybody was already asleep for some time, nevertheless Yuutsuki was awake, she couldn't help but wonder about the situation. She decided to take a walk, to tire herself out.

The night was silent, not a living soul was outside, and the moon still shone with a soft, clear light.

She was strolling for around fifteen minutes, but the bitter cold forced her to think about returning to the hut soon.

" _Wait!"_

The Rens' girl was running towards her, surprisingly, very swiftly. Yuutsuki decided to ignore the call and kept advancing into the forest.

" _I order you to wait!"_  The squeaky voice cried for the second time.

Yuutsuki did stop walking, not because of the cheeky girl's demands though. She felt the well-known sensation on her finger. There happened to be a shard nearby, about to be nullified. If the trace of it was to vanish, that piece of jewel could be lost forever, for once it transformed into a stone, nobody could sense it anymore.

Deciding on her actions was quite problematic, since she couldn't sense the jewel, she wasn't able to localize the individual with the shard. She could pull off and call Kagome, but there was a probability of the shard approaching from behind. On the other hand it could be a powerful demon, fronting it unaided would be imprudent.

" _Finally! Couldn't you hear me calling? You are going to meet Sesshoumaru-sama, aren't you?"_  Oka was completely unaware of the situation, making Yuutsuki envious of her recklessness, for she sensed quite a powerful demon slowly approaching their location. A fight was unavoidable, the three jewels of the ring aligned. Yuutsuki had seconds to find the demon. And suddenly she caught the sight of it. A pair of bloody red eyes was looking at her, a large ox with messy hair and blue skin moved in their direction.

" _If you can't fight, back off! NOW!"_  She screamed to terrified Oka and ran towards the enemy, firmly holding her sword. The girl noticed the shard, still in the ox's forehead, however already nullified. To retrieve it the demon had to die, it was a rough task though. The ox not only possessed horns, but as well an iron club. The best approach was to attack from behind.

Realising what was happening, Oka screamed fearfully, still standing in the same spot as before. The yell caught the ox's attention, it changed the course, omitting Yuutsuki and going straight for the panicked girl.

It was impossible to stop the ox, a human was going to die in front of Yuutsuki's eyes. The knowledge crept into her brain, it felt like a thunder rattling her bones, clogging her lungs. A great rage took over her, she wished for power, no, for a boundless power to prevent the death.

Yuutsuki ran fast, fast as never before. The ring had responded to her plea, allowing her to stand behind the enemy just before it took a swing at Oka.

The girl pierced the ox with the Rens' sword, splashing its blood on Oka's snow white garment, making her yelp even louder.

Briefly afterwards a sacred arrow hit the ox in the arm, making its body transform into dust, only leaving the nullified shard behind.

Kagome and Inuyasha had arrived. The half demon picked up the shard from a pile of ash that once had been the blue ox, and as well friendly tapped Yuutsuki's shoulder with a smile.

" _Good work. You saved her."_

" _My clothes!"_  Oka's eyes were filled with tears, and her usual high voice was even higher.

" _What do you mean?"_  Kagome approached her, checking for injuries.

" _How will I greet Sesshoumaru-sama now?"_  Her trembling hands were smudging the still hot blood on her kimono. She placed her furious glare at Yuutsuki and screamed while pushing Kagome away.

" _It's your fault!"_

Inuyasha, Kagome and Yuutsuki were stunned. Nobody had suspected her of such vanity.

" _Shut up woman!"_  Inuyasha growled dangerously as Kagome shook her head in disbelief.

" _Well… If dirty clothes are worse for you than being a mere smear of blood and guts against the grass, I should have let you die."_  Yuutsuki gave Oka a disdainful glance.

" _I'd rather die than disgrace myself in front of Sesshoumaru-sama!"_

" _I guess this is called being haughty…"_  Kagome commented Oka's statement.

" _Yea, her attitude is naughty…"_  Inuyasha nodded all serious.

" _Inuyasha not naughty, but haughty… It means to be blatantly proud…"_  They both stared to walk away. Inuyasha put his arm around Kagome's waist, hugging her tightly.

" _AGRH… dammit, hard words!"_

Yuutsuki laughed and followed them, leaving Oka behind.

She looked at her bloodied arms and laughed quietly.

" _A mere smear of blood and guts?"_ Oka smiled widely, as if she had heard a very pleasant thing. " _That's how you might look after Ryou's training…"_

The moon made dim, twisted shadows of trees, as her angry gaze focused on the vanishing figures of Yuutsuki, Kagome and Inuyasha.

 


	8. chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Inuyasha.
> 
> I would like to show you two artworks regarding this fanfic.
> 
> Both of them were created by my fiancée.
> 
> The first one illustrates a scene from this chapter, Yuutsuki sitting on a porch.
> 
> It´s as well the cover of the fanfic. The link : deviantart .com/#/d4s4kfd
> 
> The second one shows Oka, or more like how I imagine her to be.
> 
> The link : deviantart .com /#/d4s4l10

The morning was serene, with a sunrise of warm purple mixed with rose. The wild birds flew down close to the trees, making swift, blue shadows on the ground.

Involuntarily it reminded him about Yuutsuki's belief of new, rising opportunities. Aberrant, how a human's words had deeply been engraved in his mind. The dog demon was rapidly heading towards the small village, allowing his eyes to witness the beauty of the morning landscape.

Only Rin had succeeded to baffle him to that point, nonetheless the variance was that Rin had done so due to her infantile inquisitiveness and Yuutsuki's beliefs were an attempt of expressing a great relish of every day. Sesshoumaru had seen more than hundreds of thousands of dawns, but it was the first time he had actually valued it, all because of a human.

Yuutsuki stretched her back, enjoying the first rays of the autumn sun while eating delicious fruits that were brought by the village people.

" _Thank you for the food, Miroku."_  The girl smiled and bowed politely, letting her massive curls cover her face.

" _No problem, really. Eat plenty, your body needs to recover."_  She was given a concerned look.

" _I am already fine. Tenseiga works miracles. More importantly, I am leaving shortly, but I intend to return after the training. Will you remain in the village?"_

" _Yea…"_  Inuyasha scratched his head.  _"We will sleep here."_

" _There are more demons to be exterminated around here. Since we get free food and a warm place to sleep and moreover money…"_ The monks shrugged his shoulders and smirked slightly.

Inuyasha became tense and turned abruptly, sniffing the air.

" _Sesshoumaru is coming."_

She felt it as well, however in her case his overwhelming presence hadn't caused any unpleasant feelings. Yuutsuki smiled again.

" _So… I will be on my way."_

" _Good luck!"_  Miroku waved goodbye, Inuyasha said nothing, probably still dense about the fight between Sesshoumaru and him.

The girl sensed that he had stopped, apparently awaiting her. She rushed towards his location, feeling weirdly amused. The good mood improved when her glance met the golden eyes. His garment was different, more official, a black kimono with his red, royal crest placed on the left shoulder and the silver hair was pulled away from the face and secured with a tight tie, leaving the fringe partly covering his forehead. Yuutsuki took out Tenseiga, still drawn by his gaze.

" _Thank you."_  She handed it away, grinning gleefully. She had been urging to see him. The fact was settling around slowly with denial. Sesshoumaru gently took the sword out of the girl's hands, directing his eyes over Yuutsuki's shoulders.

" _Come out woman."_

Yuutsuki looked behind and she spotted no one else but Oka coming forward.

" _Who are you?"_  The demon's tone was demanding, he made a step towards Oka, as if shielding Yuutsuki from a menace.

" _Sesshoumaru-sama…My name is Ren Oka."_  Her voice was boiling with a sudden flurry of excitement.

" _I have no business with Rens anymore. Yuutsuki, we are leaving."_

" _My lord, please…"_  Oka graciously dropped to her knees, placed hands on the ground, creating a triangle. Then she bent forward, touching the hands with her forehead.

" _The head of my family sent me to you. We are afraid that you have abandoned your promise. There are tongues spreading rumours… That you wanted to avoid your family's oath and brought this girl posing as a fake Ren…"_

" _None of this is truthful!"_  Yuutsuki interrupted her.  _"The head saw the evidence of my identity!"_

" _For the sake of our union the head demands her to hand the ring and the sword to my hands and that you my lord will accept me as the one to carry out the promise. Please make me your mate! I was born to serve you!"_

Sesshoumaru frowned at Oka's words and his eyes darkened.

" _Imprudent. Your family had long lost privileges of the alliance. The ring disappeared, so did the union."_

" _So why is she with you, my lord?"_  The high voice cried loudly, complaining with a sudden surge of bitterness.

" _Ren Yuutsuki is the only one still bounded by the alliance, for she is the ring's wielder."_  His ferocious glare raked Oka.  _"Yuutsuki."_  This time his tone was indifferent, but she understood effortlessly. The girl touched his shoulder and before long they were in the same place as the previous day.

Ryou had already been there, waiting with his arms crossed. His raven hair was waving in the wind, alternately hiding and exposing a disturbing smirk on the ghastly face. Yuutsuki lowered her head, politely greeting him, and shortly after Sesshoumaru spoke:

" _Two hours."_  Then he disappeared, leaving the insecure girl with her new mentor.

Regardless the form of Ryou's training, enduring it was essential. She had already been mentally prepared for pushing her body to, or maybe even beyond the limits.

" _Rather surprising that you are here."_  Ryou beckoned her to follow.

" _Weren't you the one demanding me to come?"_  He was leading to a swampy area, filled with mud and fallen leaves.

" _I tried to make sure that you wouldn't appear. How did you recover so fast?"_ Yuutsuki observed the demon's hair reflecting rays of the morning sun.

" _You are not the type I would confide in."_

" _Fair enough."_

She became absorbed in her own cogitations. Allegedly the Rens didn't give her any credence, in their eyes she wasn't suitable for the role, yet Oka had been given an acknowledgement of such worthiness. Conversely, Oka didn't appear like a reliable person, apt to protect anything. Maybe there was a veiled motive behind her behaviour and actions, still too indistinguishable to comprehend.

They walked in silence, Ryou stopped only after ten minutes. The weather was favourable, being neither rainy nor sunny, with a neutral temperature. Yuutsuki had a hard time finding support for her feet, for the ground was covered with mud, making it extremely slippery.

" _We will fight here."_  That was what the girl feared.

" _The grounding works in my disadvantage. Are you broadening the gap between us on purpose? Why would…"_  Yuutsuki's eyes widened, he was already attacking, his right hand reaching straight for her throat. There was no time to draw the sword, so she dodged it, losing her footing on the slippery mud. She fell, but recomposed her posture just afterwards.

" _Advice number one. Be always prepared for an attack."_  He laughed impertinently.

Yuutsuki drew her sword, trying to calm down her breath. Courtesy of Sesshoumaru, her body had recovered from damages, slightly adapting her to disregard the hazards of injuries. However this time she only sought support of her own capabilities and skills.

Taking him by force was not obtainable. Granted, the girl's strengths were unimaginably matchless to Ryou's, nevertheless the sword could twist the adverse fate. If the unthinkable happened, she would stand a chance.

" _I thought that the training's objective is gaining control over the sword."_

Suddenly she felt a strong punch in her stomach. Yuutsuki knelt, coughing continuously. The demon abruptly pulled her to the back by her hair, causing a gnawing pain.

" _Advice number 2. Either Tie or cut your hair. It's an easy target."_  Seeing the girl's vicious look, he added:

" _If you encounter Naraku, he won't be so gentle."_

Ryou spat on the ground and grabbed her wrist violently.

" _Now behold how useless you are."_  He suddenly snatched Yuutsuki's ring out of her finger. Already squeezing it tightly, he brought himself just few centimetres away from her face and bawled:

" _You were to protect it with your LIFE_!" Yuutsuki saw his hand lifting, knowing he was about to slap her cheek. Yet she didn't even close her eyes, unwillingly admitting her failure.

Ryou turned, and slowly walked away, but there was still a chance. The sword had been the source of the mysterious power, the ring just sheltered her from the aftermath. Unknown risks could be the result of what she had decided to do, but she didn't fret.

Yuutsuki looked at the blade, grabbing it tightly she whispered:

" _Please, help me…"_

The feeling came rapidly, however not gently and warmly, like when she had wielded the ring. There was a fire burning through her veins, as if trying to destroy the body from inside. The girl's vision became foggy, almost as if possessed she lost control over her body. Within a second she was about to pierce the demon through his back, but Ryou was fast enough to avoid the critical hit, although the sword had reached him anyway, leaving a deep, vast wound. The blow had felled him to the ground, probably leaving him unconscious. The burning sensation stopped only when she retrieved the ring, nonetheless her body had suffered some damage already. Mere breathing caused her pain, weakened and on her knees she was wondering what really had happened to her. When the girl's eyes focused on Ryou, her heart stopped beating for a second. His body was lying in a puddle of dense, red blood mixed with dirt, giving off the hard metallic smell of iron. She tried to sit up, urging to aid him, but a wave of wooziness and nausea prevented it. Finally she returned to her full height, as though her bones were made out of iron and her joints stained with rust, she moved toward Ryou, enduring the unimaginable ache in her body.

A feeling of relief, but as well fear came over her, when the demon slowly moved, coughing repeatedly. To her disbelief, it didn't take him long to rise up, he even had a bold smile on.

" _Despite your obvious disadvantages, you appear to have managed well enough so far."_

The smirk disappeared from his face when the girl tripped and fell on her knees, laughing.

" _Of course… You are a demon… Of course you wouldn't die…I'm glad…"_

Not her words, but a big, black area rapidly forming on her chest had disquieted him. As far as he could estimate, she had absorbed too much of demon energy, thus she needed to be purified immediately, otherwise the energy would slowly devour her body, making her heart stop in the end.

" _You better not move."_  He commanded, as he placed his muscular arm on her back, supporting her from falling. Yuutsuki's shiny wisps of hair were swaying, for she had been breathing heavily, barely able to keep herself conscious. The pain was spreading across her chest, her lounges felt clogged, permitting her to take less and less air in every time she took a breath.

" _I see… It wasn't supposed to happen."_  She gasped, looking at him through lowered eyelashes.

" _You need a priestess. Do you know of any?"_  His tone was impatient, almost panicky.

" _In the village… Kagome…She's with the half-demon Inuyasha…"_  The girl stopped, slowly losing her awareness.

Like through a fog, she remembered being carried on the demon's arms, who was desperately running through the silent forest.

Kagome held her breath for a second, when she sensed a demon approaching the village.

" _Inuyasha… A strong demon is nearby…"_

" _Yea… I smell Yuutsuki too…"_

Sango asked curiously:

" _Is it Sesshoumaru?"_

Kagome shook her head in denial. It was indeed strong, but Sesshoumaru's power was incomparably greater.

" _It feels different."_

The four friends stepped outside the hut. Just afterwards they heard a loud scream coming from the centre of the village:

" _Priestess Kagome!"_

" _Here!"_  To everyone's surprise Kagome answered.

In a second they saw Yuutsuki in the arms of a tall, pale demon. His scared eyes were scanning the women's faces.

He placed the girl on the ground and his shaky voice could be heard:

" _She needs to be purified. Priestess, can you perform it?"_

Kneeling over Yuutsuki's body Kagome slightly uncovered her clothing, sensing demon energy coming from her chest. The damage was horrid, it was slowly devouring Yuutsuki from the inside. She was unconscious, her face wet from sweat and tears. Not waiting long, Kagome started to use her powers, with all her might trying to save her friend. She placed her hands over Yuutsuki's chest, producing a warm, soft glow of pure energy.

" _What happened? Who are you anyway?"_  Inuyasha spoke to Ryou, who didn't answered, starring at the unconscious girl in fear.

Miroku placed a paper sutra on Yuutsuki and started to pray, a light blue stream of light embraced her body.

" _Kagome…"_  Sango said quietly.  _"Will she make it?"_

" _I do not know yet… What has caused this?"_ Kagome directed her attention to Ryou.

" _Priestess, will she live?"_  The demon avoided answering.

Sango swept the curls from Yuutsuki's face, wondering what had happened to the girl. Suddenly she opened her eyes, screaming out of pain. Sango and Inuyasha had to restrain the movements of her limbs, otherwise Kagome couldn't safely use the purifying powers.

Miroku spoke calmly:

" _She will suffer a bit, but she might live. Let us purify her, we will do as much as we can. The rest is up to her vitality."_

Sesshoumaru absentmindedly looked at the cloudy sky, the wind was picking up. His business had finished earlier than expected for his mother had merely provided him with valuable information about Naraku. There were rumours about his reincarnation hidden deep in the mountains. Apparently destroying it would weaken Naraku significantly, furthermore, there were chances of retrieving shards of the jewel. Sesshoumaru had wanted to go alone, but eventually he had conceded with mother's idea of Yuutsuki coming along. That way he could be sure the girl was unharmed, besides as a Ren she was obligated to bear out her responsibilities anyway.

Upon arriving at the place, where he had left the girl, he smelled Ryou's blood from afar. He traced the iron odour, reaching a puddle of still fresh blood. Their absence was undoubtedly odd, Ryou wasn't the one to either, shun or discontinue training. The demon lord picked up Yuutsuki's scent and followed it with a speed of lightening. Sesshoumaru scurried through trees and bushes, destroying every obstacle on his way. The trace leaded to the village, his sharp senses localised Inuyasha's group, Ryou and Yuutsuki – all of them gathered up in one place.

Sesshoumaru's abrupt arrival caused quite a commotion. Inuyasha jumped up with a quiet growl, clenching his fists tightly, whilst Sango had to toughen her grasp on Yuutsuki's body, for the half demon had let her go. Kagome lost her focus for a minute and her powers stopped working.

Ryou lowered his posture, bowing down like he had never before. His forehead was touching the ground just in front of Sesshoumaru's shoes.

The demon dog looked at Yuutsuki. Her agonising screams were penetrating his ears, her pasty colouring was burning his eyes. The girl was on the verge of death, she apparently had used the sword without the ring's protection. An unpleasant feeling went through his chest, like a bite of a venomous snake. Another human under his protection was in danger of dying.

" _Lord Sesshoumaru…"_  Ryou's fear was obvious, he could almost taste it. Sesshoumaru snapped his claws, keeping himself from crushing Ryou's throat.

" _Chill, Sesshoumaru! Kagome and Miroku are helping her now!"_ Inuyasha felt the murderous aura around his brother.

" _Do you honestly think…"_  Sesshoumaru's enraged eyes pierced Inuyasha.  _"That my kin's energy can be purified by an ordinary priestess or monk?"_ Miroku stopped his prayer, gracefully rocked back on his hills and unfolded in one, swift movement to his full height.

" _I think Sesshoumaru-sama is right. It's pointless, what we are doing right now. However, nothing is lost yet."_

Kagome stopped her powers as well, paying attention to Miroku's words.

" _I cannot purify that energy, but I can withdraw it from her. There is a problem though. If it is not destroyed moments after being withdrawn, it will return to its previous vessel."_

" _How can you destroy it?"_  Sango asked.

" _I think Inuyasha can pull it off, it's needed to cut the vortex with Tessaiga."_

" _All right! I am ready!"_  Inuyasha took out Tessaiga, awaiting.

Sesshoumaru wasn't convinced of the effectiveness of their plan, but currently he couldn't think of another. He stifled a growl and forced his mind into blank.

" _There I go!"_  Miroku briskly folded his hands in various signs. Suddenly a blast of dark energy jumped out from Yuutsuki's body. The monk's face became sweated, his hands shaky, as if his shoulders were bearing an unimaginable amount of weight.

" _Inuyasha, hurry…"_

Inuyasha with an effort cut the energy's vortex. The clash resulted in a small explosion, in which the energy pushed away Inuyasha, who fell on the ground.

" _Inuyasha!"_  Kagome approached him.

" _Am fine. That was nothin'!"_

The screams ceased and only a quiet sob could be heard. Sesshoumaru turned his head away, as though he were just a bystander, with no particular interest in the actions happening around him.

" _Well done, Inuyasha!"_ Sango complimented him, taking a look at Yuutsuki. She was shaking, her lips dry and cracked.

" _Let's take her to the hut. She took a lot of damage and needs to rest."_

" _Yuutsuki falls under my care now."_  Sesshoumaru joined the conversation.

" _Hell no, take a look at her! She needs resting!"_  Kagome jumped in, spreading her arms wide in a protective gesture.

" _Ryou."_  The demon lord still didn't divert his eyes from Yuutsuki's throat. Just beneath its surface, the blood thrummed rhythmically within her veins, but not as strong as he would have liked.

He knew the girl was becoming conscious, slowly moving her still closed eyes.

" _Yes my Lord."_

" _You are no longer desired."_

" _But the training…"_

" _You say nothing else for fear of what I might do!"_  Sesshoumaru's eyes became red and his energy unleashed like never before. It was certainly hard, refraining from killing the underling.

Ryou bowed one more time, left Yuutsuki's sword next to her and disappeared without further ado.

" _Out of my way."_ Sesshoumaru referred to Kagome and Sango.

" _She's a human! You should understand! Don't you take care of Rin?"_

Silence fell upon them. Nobody was sure if Sesshoumaru was considering what Kagome had said, or maybe he was choosing the best way of killing them all. His expression was blank, unreadable, making him look bored and weary.

" _It's fine, really."_  Yuutsuki's weak voice interrupted the silence.

" _Sh… You should rest."_  Miroku hushed her, conceding with Kagome.

The girl lifted herself up, using support of the sword.

" _I cannot stroll yet, I am afraid."_  She laughed slightly. _"Thank you for saving me."_  Yuutsuki turned to her friends.

" _Don't be irrational…"_  Kagome tried to stop her.

Yuutsuki reached out her trembling hand towards Sesshoumaru and he grabbed it, they both disappeared in a ball of luminous light.

" _Sesshoumaru-sama! Please wait!"_  Oka´s high pitched voice could be heard as she was drawing nearer Inuyasha´s group.

" _Ah look who finally came back."_ Inuyasha goggled her with a mocking stare.

" _I heard screams and then Sesshoumaru-sama and….he´s not here anymore! He went again with that wretched girl, didn´t he?_ She supported her hand on her hip, awaiting an answer, but no one even bothered.

The impulsive burst of bravery caused Yuutsuki to faint in Sesshoumaru's arms as soon as they arrived at the place.

She woke up in a bed, covered from feet to the tip of her nose in woollen blankets. It was a four poster-bed, with four vertical columns, one in each corner that supported an upper panel. Ornately patterned, blue curtains were all around the bed, so the decor of the room remained unknown.

The girl heard a sound of approaching steps. The soft material tickled her lips as she burrowed a little deeper into her blanket.

Someone hammed, and a pleasant, however nervous female voice could be heard.

" _Hu… ekhem. Lady human? Are you awake?"_

Yuutsuki widened her eyes, trying to stifle a chuckle. Lady human.

" _Seems like yes."_

The curtains opened slightly and a face of a middle aged woman popped in. Her eyes were grey blue like a clouded sky, and lips prominent in colour of rose. She was wearing a very neat uniform, a red garment nicely contrasted with her dark hair, let loose over her shoulders.

"I brought fresh clothing, if it is not in the lady´s taste, I can arrange others. Would the lady like to take a bath?" The woman fully uncovered the curtains.

Yuutsuki sat up, noticing she was wearing something resembling a night dress.

" _Gladly. This…_ " She pointed at herself.

" _It was me. The lady's clothing is being washed. If it's of any offence…"_

" _No, thank you."_ The girl looked through a window. The red sun was setting and to the west the sky was gold and crimson.

" _Excuse my manners."_  Yuutsuki turned to the woman.  _"I'm Yuutsuki."_

" _My name is Nora"_  She bowed graciously. _"And Lady, you are in Lord Sesshoumaru's household, I am your maid for time being. Now put on a housecoat, I shall take you to hot springs. We don't have much time, so if there are any questions, ask them on the way."_

Already back in the room, Yuutsuki changed to a new kimono, which was admittedly marvellous. The cerise material with two silver dragons adorning the clothing, was tightened with a white sash patterned with flowers.

" _Now that you are ready lady, please proceed to the dining room. The food is on the table."_

They went through long corridors of the big mansion. Finally they reached the dining room. It only had a big table inside and one chair. In the corners there were three maids ready to serve her anytime, all had the same uniforms as Nora. Dishes on the table were producing an intense smell, which encouraged her to begin eating.

The food was delicious, however she ate carefully, not to stain the evidently expensive material. It was somewhat an uncanny sensation, bearing the gapes of the servants in silence, as if she were a kind of peculiar animal suddenly capable to dine by herself, like she was undesired in there.

" _Lady, please, follow me. Lord Sesshoumaru will meet you shortly."_  Nora spoke, after noticing she had finished eating.

She was guided to a porch facing a charmingly tended garden. Sitting down, she felt the blissful state of warmness, caused by the sake she had consumed over the meal.

" _Lord Sesshoumaru will…"_  Nora started to repeat herself.

" _I know. He's already here."_

" _Oh. I didn't suspect a Ren to sense energy. With all due respect. I will leave then."_

Yuutsuki nodded her head.

In a moment she heard a voice behind her.

" _Has your condition steadied?"_  Sesshoumaru sat next to her and slid his hands into his voluminous sleeves.

" _Yes. I am grateful for your concern."_

" _Tonight we depart for a journey."_

Yuutsuki looked at his face. Both of his eyes were reflecting the last rays of the sun.

" _A journey?"_

" _Consider it a great honour and opportunity to train under my eye."_

Brows drawing down, she narrowed her eyes as he continued speaking.

" _We will face another one of Naraku´s reincarnation. I shall give you the details as we walk. Assemble your gear and meet me as soon as you are ready."_ Sesshoumaru left the place, not even bestowing her with a look.


	9. Chapter 9

" _What did Sesshoumaru mean about Yuutsuki falling under his protection? I wonder why he is always around her."_  Kagome rubbed her arms, looking at Inuyasha, who was in process of starting a fire.

" _Maybe lady Oka could enlighten us, since she seems to know the situation well."_  Miroku sighted slightly, switching his eyes to the obnoxious girl who was now cleaning her nails, complaining how destroyed they were. The group focused their looks on her.

" _Inuyasha…"_  She spoke slowly, still looking at her own nails  _"Are you sure you are Lord Sesshoumaru's brother? You are so unlike him."_

" _We asked you a question. Polite would be to answer."_  Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's arm, when he was about to swing it towards Oka as Sango spoke calmly.

" _We allowed you to go with us, so at least try to cooperate."_  She continued.

Oka hissed, as if something utterly annoying had happened. She lifted her posture and looked down at the rest.

" _I will do so, for you not to tell me I owe you anything for tagging along. What do you wanna know?"_

" _Very well then."_  Miroku omitted her vicious tone.  _"Tell us what the connection between lady Yuutsuki and lord Sesshoumaru is."_

" _In my eyes, none."_  The nasal voice sounded higher than usually.  _"I do not see her as a Ren. The family suspects that lord Sesshoumaru came to see the Rens as useless and brought that girl to pose as one of us. Like this he could cut ties with us, claiming Yuutsuki to fulfil the Rens duties and also benefit from the alliance. That's why I am here. Lord Sesshoumaru MUST see ME as the rightful one to carry out the agreement."_

" _Alliance? What alliance?"_  Kagome became curious.

" _A successor of lord Sesshoumaru's clan is obligated to mate a Ren in exchange of protecting Shikon no Tama with the ring and sword, which were both given by his clan. I am the daughter of the previous wielder of the ring. My father was considered the best human warrior in the west lands. Later the head of the family took away the ring. Later it disappeared. And even later that girl appears… "_ Her manner of speech showed too little signs of maturity for girl from a noble house.

" _Slow down, lady Oka. I am not sure if we understand well. You think lady Yuutsuki was ordered by lord Sesshoumaru to pretend to be a Ren?"_  Miroku asked doubtfully.

" _Yes! We all believe that!"_  She almost screamed, her cheeks red from the tension. Inuyasha got up as well, hoping the girl would leave them soon.

" _Keh, funny. Before she met Sesshoumaru, she met us."_

" _Exactly! And back then she already called herself Ren."_ Kagome added, while being tightly grabbed by Inuyasha's arm.

Oka shrugged and sat down with her arms crossed. Her stubborn belief that Yuutsuki had been lying could not be bent even upon harder evidence to disprove her theory.

Several moments followed, and no one in the group spoke or moved much, all sat involved in their own thoughts.

" _I feel several Shikon no Tama moving!"_ Silence was broken by Kagome with alarm.

" _Are you certain of this lady Kagome?"_  Miroku asked while attaining his usual posture to such news.

" _Yes, I'm certain of this, it´s faint, but I feel them for sure."_

" _Looks like we better get on the move."_ Inuyasha's usual stance of spirit heightening made everyone get up, including Oka, who before seemed reluctant to move, and this caught the dog demons eye.

" _You seem to be in a hurry to go, I though you only cared for Sesshoumaru…"_

" _That´s exactly why I'm so thrilled to go. You never know if lord Sesshoumaru isn´t pursuing those same shards at this very moment."_

" _That's a good point, Yuutsuki surely will be present then, and she´ll be of great aid. The creature carrying them certainly got stronger thanks to the shards."_

" _That´s right, Yuu-chan already got us closer to completing the jewel, she might already be going after these ones."_ Miroku's analysis was concluded by Kagome´s words.

" _And the reason why the usual transportation is impossible…"_

" _First of all the exact location is unidentified. Secondly, my transportation not only uses a lot of energy, but as well it releases a fair amount. It would be like announcing my arrival."_

The sky was pricked over with stars and the full moon rimmed with a blurred halo. It was after midnight. They had been walking for thirty minutes only, but the cold of autumn night had already taken its toll on her body. He had thoroughly defined the purpose of the travel, sharing the information he had gathered.

" _How long until we reach the mountains?"_

" _It depends on your endurance, however shouldn't be more than three, four days."_

They were crossing through a dense forest, the moss covered ground required a lot of caution while walking. His bright clothing provided the best guidance, allowing her to follow closely, without losing the sight of him.

" _Kagome can sense the shards, taking her would be more beneficial, I think."_

" _I have no desire for a shard sensor."_  He cut the discussion curtly.

Yuutsuki kept silent lost in her thoughts, pondering about Ryou's condition and what had happened during the training. Only the rhythmical sound of her footsteps and breath disturbed the silence of the night. She would probably continue being absentminded for longer, if not for his words.

" _Do you need a rest?"_

The icy wind whipped through her moist hair and cold face caused by the constant smooth drizzle which had been showering her as she had been walking through it, she could also feel the cold emanating from the ground. Resting in such an unpleasant, wet place was not something one would urge for.

" _No, I am still fine."_

Yuutsuki didn't see his reaction, yet she tried to imagine it. A little way of entertaining herself which was keeping her mind busy while walking, her mood had improved and not even the cold or the fine drops of rain were as bothersome as before.

" _In the future, what do you do? Are you a warrior apprentice?"_

She rubbed her numb fingers together in a futile attempt to warm them.

" _I do indeed practise Kendo, but I am no warrior. In modern times, war is on a different level where technology reigns. I am just a commoner, living in my family's shrine."_

Sesshoumaru strolled slowly, remaining quiet, but no long after, he asked again:

" _How old are you?"_

" _Nineteen."_

The question was intriguing and she really wanted to ask the same, but resigned, knowing he would most likely fob her off with silence.

The sun started to rise over the horizon, illuminating the morning fog spread around like a slight duvet over the valley. Sesshoumaru looked through his shoulder at the lavender shadows beneath Yuutsuki's eyes.

" _There is a village nearby. You shall rest there._

The girl was visibly exhausted **,** he was taken aback by her durability of such a long walk. At this pace they could reach the destination faster.

" _If I only manage to reach there"_  she said half seriously, half jesting.

He merely lifted up his left eyebrow. Despite the travel, he still maintained invigorated. The dry, icy air did not affect his stamina and he could continue walking for many hours, if not days more.

As they were approaching the village, they noticed an elderly couple coming from the opposite side, sharing the road with them. Drawing closer to the later, the young traveller couldn´t help notice the evident difficulty with which the timeworn lady was carrying her load. The lady fell to the ground and scattered the contents of her basket. Yuutsuki set off, as if she had not been tired at all, determined to help the fallen lady.

" _Here hold my hand, I will help you."_  Yuutsuki held out her hand to help the old lady back to her feet.

" _Dear, are you fine? I knew you should not have come, you are too weak to walk like this."_ The elder man complained in concern while safely dropping his basket to the ground.

" _Thank you dear."_ The woman smiled kindly at Yuutsuki's aid.

" _And I'm not weak…"_  she turned to her husband, _"I just tripped, that's all._ "

Not waiting to be in the middle of a couple's dispute, Yuutsuki began picking up the fallen contents and couldn't help herself to gaze at them, such apples she had not seen in some time, ripe and ready to eat. Sesshoumaru stood a few meters away from them, covered by the trees' shadows with his usual air of indifference.

Already on her feet and all the apples back in the basket, the lady thanked Yuutsuki once more for her help and rewarded her with the juiciest looking apple of the bunch.

" _Oh, thank you so much, it looks delicious."_  The young girl was visibly happy at the simple reward. She polished it with her sleeve and smiled.

" _Didn't we meet somewhere before?"_ The old lady deeply stared at Yuutsuki.

" _I don´t think…"_

" _Oha, I know, what did you do to your hair Hanako_ _ **."**_ The woman cut in.

" _Dear, it couldn't be her, that was many years ago, surely she would look like a grandma by now. But they do look alike…"_  The old man fobbed off any uncertainty.

" _Oh, it´s true. This head of mine, and you know, it will only get worse..."_  She finished off with a laugh at her misfortune, although her eyes remained focused on Yuutsuki's face.

" _Coincidently, my grandmother´s name is Hanako_ _ **."**_ Replied the girl, still delighted with the previous reward.

" _What a coincidence, and what´s your name young one?_ "

" _Yuutsuki, Ren Yuutsuki."_

" _Oh you´re even a Ren like her. Oh!"_ The woman's eyes wandered off to Yuutsuki's hip, where the Rens' family sword was attached. " _She had the same sword! Hanako! You are her, aren't you! You came back!"_  Her voice became shaky.

" _Huh? Can you please tell me more?"_  Yuutsuki was deeply dumbfounded. These details were too mutual to be a happenstance. Could it be that her grandma has been concealing a part of her past?

" _Dear… C'mon… There is no way…"_  But the old man's nervous eyes denuded his thoughts.

He embraced the woman and slightly pushed her in order to move on and continue their way.

" _Please, please tell me!"_ Yuutsuki followed them, desperately grabbing the opportunity to know more.

" _Demon!"_  The man screamed at the sight of Sesshoumaru standing under a tree.

" _Please, there is no danger, please…"_  Yuutsuki was getting desperate. Dealing with scared, old people posed as a hard task to accomplish, but honestly she couldn't disparage them, for demons had triggered innumerable hardships for the human kin. Sensing their anxiety, Sesshoumaru decided to join Yuutsuki, passing the frightened couple uncaringly.

The elders quickly moved on, not once looking back at the allegedly familiar face. Yuutsuki was left with the red apple in her hands and thoughts crossing her puzzled mind.

" _As I assumed, humans flee at the sight of my greatness. I cannot enter the village without causing uproar. Go, rest, and bring provisions for yourself. Come to meet me when the sun sets."_

Sesshoumaru said with a smirk.

The girl knew that any resistance was futile. She shouldn't face any troubles in the village, in her pocket there was a considerable amount of money, previously gained from demon slaying.

Already in a rent room, Yuutsuki merely took off her shoes and fell dead asleep, waking up almost nine hours later.

The assumptions led her to a conclusion that her grandmother once had come to the past, along with the sword, just like her. For her to be mistaken with the elder, the trip had had to be many years ago. However, pondering about it, be it thoroughly or cursorily, wouldn't bring her closer to verity. Now that the elder couple had been gone, there was nobody she could ask about it. The curious fact remained with her, albeit not in the forefront of her mind.

She still had a lot of time before the sunset, so she decided to walk around the village, eat a dinner and gather provisions. The girl picked up her belongings and packed them in a cloth bag, which she hung over her shoulder.

The village was surprisingly effervescent, people were flowing from everywhere. Out in the roads, all residents appeared to be captivated in cheerful chitchats, most of them beaming. Children were playing next to houses, their clothing too poor for the weather, however it didn't seem to cause any inconveniences in their judgments. From the kitchen areas wafted the rich smell of cooking.

Yuutsuki was slowly strolling forward, when a female voice called out to her:

" _Lady in the pink kimono! Aren't you a traveller?"_  The girl curiously followed the sound with her eyes.

On a small porch of a meagre hut there was a woman waving her hand. She was clearly middle aged, the deep wrinkles on her face served as proof. Next to her there was a small man, thin as a stick and with the complexion of a tallow candle.

" _Yes I am."_  Yuutsuki approached them and bowed in a polite gesture.  _"My name is Yuutsuki."_

" _Oh."_  The woman bowed her head as well.  _"I cooked a bit too much for dinner. If you would like, you can help yourself. Travellers nowadays barely eat… "_

She had the pulp, settled air of a matron and an inclination to mother. Yuutsuki was pleasantly surprised by the offer.

" _Is it really fine? I can pay for the meal…"_

" _Silly. Just come in. Come, come."_

Yuutsuki followed the woman and was quickly sat to a table. In an instant she was facing a bowl of steaming rice with slices of meat on it. After few minutes of silence, the house lady began speaking.

" _You know what, my daughter is a priestess of the village. We are so happy for her…"_  She was twittering radiantly.

" _Is that so. She has to be brilliant."_

" _Oh, yes…She protects the village from demons and cures sick people with her medical abilities. And she is only fifteen…"_

" _That's a young age, indeed."_

" _And you, what's with that sword. Can you even use it? Or are you carrying it just to scare off thieves?"_

Yuutsuki laughed.

" _I use it reasonably well, I think. Thank you for the food."_ She said after putting the chopsticks away.

" _Don't worry about it."_

" _I will be on my way then."_  She got up, and bowed lowly.  _"Honestly thank you."_

" _What a nice child. Good luck on your travel!"_

Yuutsuki left the house, with her spirits up, feeling lucky to have met such a generous woman.

After walking for a few minutes, she heard screams and cries coming from the centre of the village. She became cognizant of the situation rapidly. A gallop of horses, burning torches and naughty, loud laughs were palpably signs of bandits attacking.

The girl could already see them from a distance. They were riding, throwing fire everywhere and cutting people, who were stampeding from the blazes of inflamed houses.

Her heart gave a great lurch, as if it would almost leap up into her dry mouth and then began pounding in her chest like a hammer on an anvil. She had seen bloody scenes before, but a man slaughtering an innocent man was an experience of dread and horror. There was no one to fight them; the men were probably working in fields, perhaps it was the reason to attack at such hour.

" _Everyone hide!"_

" _Hide or be killed!"_

People were brushing her shoulder, whilst desperately running away from the approaching oppressors. However she was standing still, pointing her infuriated eyes at the bandits. Yuutsuki knew she couldn't face them all at once, yet she really wanted to cut at least one, otherwise it was impossible for her to feel at ease.

The girl unsheathed the sword, making her posture steadier. As she stood, waiting, the wind rose in a gust, and rustled through the grass. The enemy had spread around, now only two of them were heading in her direction. In the corner of her eye, she noticed terrified people seeking the protection in a shrine nearby, they still put their faith in gods, hoping to be miraculously sheltered. The two bandits reached her, with filthy smiles they got off the steeds. They looked stronger than her, although they wielded no weapons besides some thin, wooden clubs.

" _Oi! Don't tell me you wanna fight…"_  The bigger one spoke.

" _Try me."_  Yuutsuki tried to act composed, yet inside she sensed a wave of the sword's power. Her body was trembling, urging to slice them. It was the same sensation as when she had used the sword without the ring, but this time there was no damage, just a burning desire to protect the innocent people.

He guffawed, and made an inviting hand gesture.

" _Do not hurt her, Shouta. ´Cause I do wanna TRY her later!"_  The shorter thief accompanied the other one.

She sprang towards the bulkier fellow, hitting her shoulder against his. Obviously, there was no possibility of hurting him that way, yet she had achieved her objective. He had allowed her to pass him, however he had not turned. In that brief moment she took a large swing and pierced the bandit from behind. The enemy had belittled her and had been caught unawares.

" _While sparring never take your eyes away from the opponent."_

A crimson blood was dripping from the sword, as her gaze switched to the other oppressor.

" _You little wench…"_

She smiled without humour and raised her sword. As he approached, she grabbed the other edge of the blade, and hit with the side of it on his ugly face, causing him to fall down with a nosebleed.

" _Call off the others, or you die!"_  She kicked his ribs strongly.

" _Fine, fine! I will do that! Calm down you crazy woman!"_  He said with difficulty, covering his nose in order to stop the bleeding.

Yuutsuki kicked him in the jaw, making him moan in pain and before she managed anything, a tight grip locked her movements.

" _You're not getting away now."_ said the thug strongly embracing the girl.

" _Now, you are all…mine."_  the one Yuutsuki had knocked down, spoke out between deep breaths as he made his way to her. He fell halfway through, and as his body thumped on the ground, Sesshoumaru, still baring his glowing, poisonous claws, was standing behind him. In a heartbeat, the demon had moved behind the remaining hoodlum and thrust his claws inside the human's body, freeing Yuutsuki from his grasp.

" _Touch my shoulder."_  He said with his usual, stoic voice, as he pushed the dead thief away.

The girl began to take deliberate, steady breaths, until she felt the tension within begin to slacken and her pulse become a little steadier, her head clearer.

" _No, I am not going away. I will help the villagers. Your help would be appreciated as well…"_

" _Foolish. This is human affairs. I have no interest in it. We are leaving."_ Sesshoumaru almost growled, irritated by her disobedience.

" _Foolish or not. I AM a human."_  Her wide eyes were burning with the concentration of passionate emotion, which streamed from her.

" _Is it your whim to endanger your life for strangers?"_

" _Yes it is, it is what I am doing all the time! Everyone in this world is a stranger to me!"_  A small tear of helplessness ran down her cheek.  _"With your help or without, I will do what is in my power."_

She set off, running towards the flames of falling huts and screams of people, but she was free only for a second, for the demon grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer to his face.

" _I have no urge to help you."_

She watched his golden eyes narrowing at her, as he released his iron grasp.

" _However I cannot have you injured."_

Faster than her eye could follow, Sesshoumaru catapulted himself at the foes. He drove through the bandits' crowd mercilessly, slashing and melting their flesh with a green whip of light. Those that hadn't been felled to the ground by the overwhelming power, despite futile attempts to flee, were caught by the whip anyway, meeting a disgraceful death. The villagers, along with Yuutsuki could only observe in bewilderment on how the dog demon was disposing of the threat that had been endangering them all. Some of them knelt in gratitude, folding their hands together, calling Sesshoumaru their saviour, others stood in astonishment with their eyes wide opened. As the last of the oppressors met his doom, Sesshoumaru threw his glance at Yuutsuki, and not minding the cheering around him, slowly walked away.

She quickly caught up with him. Pointing his look at the horizon, he said quietly:

" _What has happened in here is neither to be repeated, nor mentioned."_

They walked in silence for few hours. Yuutsuki noticed from afar, that the last flames in the village had been put down and only lanterns held high by the houses were bobbing and flickering. The sun was long gone and the darkness had consumed the remaining light. Out of nothing Sesshoumaru stopped, lifted his chin, scenting the air. She could see his posture stiffen and a moment after a figure in a baboon pelt dropped out from the sky, blocking their way. Even she could sense the ominous energy emanating from it.

" _Lord Sesshoumaru, I see you've already gotten yourself a new human toy. Days till we meet on battlefield are short."_

Anger flickered through the demon's gaze for a moment, tingeing it crimson. Swiftly, silently and with a stern expression, Sesshoumaru sliced through the figure, dividing it in two. However it didn't bleed, neither fall nor die, just dispersed with a faint laugh.

" _Bastard!"_  Sesshoumaru angrily let the sour word slip his tongue, while resuming their walk, guided by the slant of moonlight that reached out into the darkness of the forest.

Yuutsuki comprehended, that asking for an explanation wouldn't cause the intended result. Keeping her mouth shut she began to feel less comfortable for the air was a great deal colder and blowing in gusts from the east with an unpleasant rain upon its breath.

Several long hours passed and Sesshoumaru noticed the girl's growing fatigue. Without hesitation, and completely omitting her protests, he placed his hands on Yuutsuki's frail body and lifted it, positioning her close to his chest. After the girl finally accepted the awkward condition she was in, the demon picked up the pace and rapidly set off.

" _Ren Hanako."_  Only after a while he whispered.  _"I've heard that name before."_


	10. Chapter 10

A purple umbrella opened, covering the two females from the pouring rain. One of them, still a young child, was shivering with cold. Her long, curly chestnut hair exposed the dark eyes, as she lifted her chin to look at the umbrella's beautiful pattern. She left the protected area and smiled, as if something really plausible had happened, her eyes beamed with excitement. Putting her both arms on her hips she recited a sentence, apparently knowing it by heart.

" _I ought to grow used to rain and cold. One day it might prove useful to me."_

The other female, already of elderly age placed her wrinkled hand at the child's soaked head and tapped it slightly.

" _That's right, Yuutsuki. Now, don't get too wet. I want you healthy."_

Hesitating for a bit, the child grabbed the older woman's hand and pressed her face against it.

Neither dreaming, nor awake Yuutsuki kept rubbing her face against a material, still murmuring the remembered sentence.

" _I ought to … Grow used to rain and cold. One day it might … Prove useful to me..."_

She slowly opened her eyes, and her face became beet red and her pulse increased, for it was not her grandmother's sleeve she had been pressing her cheek against, but Sesshoumaru's warm clothing around his chest. Yuutsuki did not dare to look at his face, completely abashed and fearful of his possible comment. The demon's body solidified and remorse permeated his heart. Once he had held a girl in his arms like this. She had been bringing her small, most of the time unclean, childish face, close to his heart, claiming to listen to its beat. However, it had been a blatant lie, the child had invented the justification just to embrace him. Sesshoumaru wished he had shown Rin a proof of his fondness, be it an insignificant caress, be it just once. His claws twitched and he unwillingly, still immersed in pensive memories, pressed the body in his arms to his chest, trying to imagine Rin's smile. The one he was holding right now caused different feelings in him, not fatherly ones, nevertheless still protective. To his surprise he felt a tight knot in his stomach, when he heard Yuutsuki gasping for air. He reminisced himself haring off upon noticing fire in the village, hurrying to save the Ren he actually had no use of, yet he kept next to him. It could be his honour, after all the family's alliance was concerning him directly, but he was fully aware, it wasn't the solemn reason. His iron grasp tightened even more, before his feet hit the ground and he sprang away high, finally landing in the middle of a clearing. Sesshoumaru released the girl and sat down under a tree, closing his eyes. There wasn't anything in particular he wished to say, there was only one thing bothering him, and he disliked to have doubts. He had caught a strong scent of Tarou nearby, as far as he was concerned, the demon general shouldn't have any particular reason to roam around this part of the west.

Yuutsuki felt ashamed to fall asleep in Sesshoumaru's arms, but fortunately, judging by the darkness around, she hadn't slept for long. There was still around two, three hours before the sun would sluggishly rise up. She still felt the warmth of his arms on her body, the demon lord's behaviour had puzzled her, leaving place for qualms and considerations. She sat on moss covered, cold stone facing him directly, pondering about his actions, but she quickly changed the course of her thoughts, fastening her eyes at Sesshoumaru.

Was it possible, that her grandmother had taught her humility and endurance to prepare her for this journey? Was it the reason why she had recommended her to practise kendo? She was reminiscent of more and more particulars and arguments, proving her theory.

" _It's inappropriate for a female to gape at a male that intently."_ Sesshoumaru spoke with his eyes unchangeably closed.

Yuutsuki stirred at his words, squeezed the pink material of her kimono and mumbled:

" _I apologise, I got lost in thought."_

" _You continue walking, there is no living soul around. I will catch up later."_

The girl didn't speak a word, hesitating. She was aware of his reluctance to clarify his acts. Their glances met and Sesshoumaru was the first to set off, leaving Yuutsuki following him with her eyes, but the dense forest and the dark velvet of the night made her task hard and short lived. The girl didn´t stand still for long, instead, made a simple half turn and went on her way. Sesshoumaru had told her that she was the only living being in the area and she indeed felt alone, but the lack of light and the dead silence around her contributed to the unsettling feeling softly running through her. Taking hold of her breath and with small steps, the girl made her way through the obscure disturbing path ahead of her, and with each careful footstep she longed for the white demon guiding her path. It was so quiet; the only sound was the rustling of the leaves on the trees. The girl tried to focus on the riddle her grandma posed, thinking about Kagome and the rest, all in vain, for her eyes played tricks on her, making her see things that weren't there.

She walked for a quarter of an hour or two, yet it seemed like an eternity. A gust of cool, chilling breeze swept across the place, which caused her hairs to stand on end, her spine to quiver and tremble. A noise of cracking twigs made her jump. The wind abated, but the sound remained, twigs snapping continuously, as if somebody was doing it on purpose. Very cautiously, listening, hardly breathing, she ventured a few steps in that direction. The girl screamed, a dry, cracked scream as two birds flew just next to her head. She took a deep breath, calling herself silly and clumsily continued her way.

Sesshoumaru caught Tarou's trace easily. He hissed with annoyance, the fool had allowed his energy to be fully sensed, possibly annihilating his plan of ambushing Naraku's reincarnation. Before making himself visible to his target, Sesshoumaru uttered with an irritated note in his voice:

" _Tarou, you fool, what has made you roam this part of my lands?"_  Sesshoumaru's eyes pierced the underling.

" _Se-Sesshoumaru-sama… what are you doing here? Erg…I mean, I didn´t expect the lord of the west to be here. As expected of his greatness, can fully mask his presence."_ Unavailingly, he was trying to draw a smile, unable to hide his surprise.

" _Cut the brown-nosing and answer me!"_ The demon dog was visibly annoyed; the General should be guarding his property.

" _I´m here to scout the area, Sesshoumaru-sama."_

" _So you are an even bigger fool than I thought, giving yourself out in such a way. No matter, you are somewhat favourable to me. Abandon everything you are doing, hide your presence and come."_

Tarou let out an expression of discontent after receiving the order and only reluctantly agreed as he tried to catch up to Sesshoumaru´s speed.

Not even ten minutes had passed as both demons heard Yuutsuki's echoing scream coming from afar. The demon lord increased his speed and in a blink of an eye he was standing in front of the surprised girl and few seconds later Tarou joined him. A waft of anxiety snuck in the girl's mind as she felt an unfamiliar sensation emanating from the ring, filling her with nervousness. Sharing the information with Sesshoumaru wasn't a brilliant idea, since the demon lord seemed irritated, he had only spoke once, ordering her to follow. The group continued walking in human pace, Sesshoumaru leading the way, just behind him Yuutsuki and Tarou. She detected an anomalous aura around Tarou the moment she had seen him, something aberrant was occurring, and Yuutsuki had no idea why Sesshoumaru hadn't sensed it yet. The girl refrained herself from action, even though weird thoughts were pestering her and the ring behaved abnormally. Her eyes were unwillingly locking at Sesshoumaru's Tenseiga, and her heart raced rapidly at the thought of wielding it. The finger was burning violently, like an opened wound treated with alcohol, making her dizzy. Would something happen if she drew Tenseiga? Throwing a short glance at Tarou over her shoulder, Yuutsuki decided to endure the sensations, blaming it on her weariness.

None of them spoke a word anymore as the sun lazily clambered over the horizon; they proceeded through the forest, until Sesshoumaru threw curtly:

" _We are close. Tarou, protect Yuutsuki, her fatigue doesn't allow her to fight. Keep her close enough to nullify the shard."_

" _Understood."_

Only few moments later they entered a path leading to a big cave and out of nothing a large creature appeared, which looked like a gigantic armadillo with extendable tentacles. Sesshoumaru silently threw himself towards it, trying to take the enemy by surprise as Yuutsuki, approached the creature in order to nullify the shard. Tarou followed her, his appearance changing to his demon form. His shape remained the same, but his face covered with black, dense fur, his mouth turned to a muzzle with fangs and he grew dog ears. Only his eyes remained of the same, azure colour, which were fixed on Sesshoumaru's figure attacking Naraku's reincarnation. The creature quickly spotted the intruders, but it didn't try to elude Sesshoumaru's sword. Astonishingly, its armour was too thick to be cut or pierced, and the thing itself was startlingly fast for its mass. The ring aligned and the girl knew the shard had been nullified. The creature roared and became a bit smaller, but not feebler, Sesshoumaru had difficulties harming it due to its resistant shield. Yuutsuki unsheathed her sword when the creature felled the dog demon to the ground, and she sighted with a relief when he gracefully returned to his feet, dodging a blow that could be lethal. The creature didn't leave any time for a breath though, extended its limbs in attack, producing a furious blare.

Just a second after the girl had lowered her sword, through the corner of her eye, she saw, as if in slow motion, how Tarou lifted up his sharp claws, clearly aiming for her life. Favourably, she managed to avoid the attack, changing the course of deadly talons with her sword. Nevertheless the impact made her fall to knees. Sesshoumaru had noticed the act of disloyalty in spite of the strenuous fight. With a powerful thrust of his sword, he pushed the creature back and rushed towards the girl and his underling with murder in his golden eyes. Tarou had disobeyed his orders, betrayed his trust and dared to endanger a life he had been supposed to protect. When the traitor was in hand's reach, the demon lord sensed the armadillo's incoming attack. With a half turn he rapidly faced the hideous creature, just to deflect the unexpected blow, whereas Tarou took advantage of his incredible speed and pierced Sesshoumaru's back with his bare hand. A scream came through Yuutsuki's throat and she set off towards the demons. On Sesshoumaru's chest the bright material of his kimono changed the colour to red. In the same exact moment Inuyasha appeared, sending his Wind Scar at Naraku's reincarnation, successfully pushing it back again, although not doing visible damage. Just afterwards Sango, Kagome and Miroku appeared, fully ready to fight. Kagome drew back her bowstring, hoping to ward off whatever danger the creature could pose. To avoid Sango´s Hiraikotsu effectively, Tarou withdrew his hand from Sesshoumaru, who slightly tilted forward while a burst of blood from his chest formed a red puddle on the ground. Tarou however was not expecting the weapon to come back for a second attack, this time hitting its target. The demon stood grounded behind Sesshoumaru, the latter's blood staining the fallen demons arm. Allowing no delay, Miroku placed sacred sutras on Tarou, immobilizing his movements whilst Yuutsuki couldn't even make an action, her eyes were focused on the bloody chest of Sesshoumaru. She urged to call his name, but only a faint swoosh escaped her wobbly mouth. Her teeth were clanging so much out of fear, that if she tried to speak now, she would probably bite her lip. Kagome approached the wounded demon, apparently ready to help treat his wounds.

" _Are you fine Sesshoumaru?"_  The priestess voice was filled with worry.

" _Do not dare…"_  He growled in a menacing voice that made Yuutsuki tremble. Taking a deep breath and slowly raising his chin he finished the sentence.  _"To touch me."_  The demon's eyes were enflamed, petrifying and filled with pure rage and bloodlust. Still bleeding significantly, he took several steps in Tarou's direction, saying:

" _I shall remove your tongue first, so you cannot pray for forgiveness in hell."_

Yuutsuki looked into Tarou's empty eyes and she could not stop thinking that something was erroneous.

" _BASTARD!"_  Inuyasha screamed, as Naraku's reincarnation jumped towards the party. The half demon outran it and stood firmly, facing it to protect his friends. He didn't expect Sesshoumaru to knock him down and tear out Tessaiga from his hands.

" _KONGOUSOUHA!"_  Sesshoumaru summoned the diamond Tessaiga as he swung it horizontally without effort, as if he was not injured at all. This was not a regular Kongousouha, instead of the usual diamond projectiles, an uncountable amount of very fine, diamond wave of needles was projected from the swing, piercing through the hard body of Naraku´s reincarnation. The creature did not scream nor moved, just slowly dispersed in a cloud of miasma. Sesshoumaru ditched the sword and dropped to one knee, gazing at his burning hand as he gasped for air. Inuyasha lifted up Tessaiga, saying nothing, even though normally he would have complained and insulted him. This time Sesshoumaru had saved them all, proving his exceeding skills in the usage of Tessaiga.

" _What about the demon that Miroku had seized?"_  Sango expressed her doubts and looked at Yuutsuki who quietly spoke:

" _Kagome, use your priestess powers, don't you sense something weird about Tarou?"_

The priestess approached the demon and closed her eyes, concentrating. After few seconds she shook her head in denial.

" _There is nothing to sense, Yuu-chan. Just his aura."_

" _Miroku?"_  Yuutsuki stood her ground.

" _Nothing, nothing beside a really strong aura."_  He looked at her weirdly. Rationally and granted, her two spiritual friends were right, nevertheless she had been sensing otherwise. To be exact, it was the ring sensing it, channelling the feeling to her. Sango put the familiar weight of Hiraikotsu onto her back and added:

" _Yuutsuki, you look tired, maybe you are imagining…"_

" _Dammit! No!"_  She couldn't comprehend why she was so eagerly defending her feeling, even when facing more skilled people's opinion.

" _Speak, Yuutsuki."_  Sesshoumaru's low voice silenced everyone else. The demon straightened his posture, still grabbing the wound.

" _I am not sure…"_  The girl answered accordingly to the truth. Her eyes one more time focused on Tenseiga.  _"Tenseiga… It seems like the ring calls for Tenseiga…"_  She licked her dry lips, which were still shaking in fear.

Sesshoumaru plainly took out the sword and passed it to her hands, putting his trust in her judgement. Yuutsuki grabbed it tightly, and took a look at Tarou. Her eyes saw several pull-bearers surrounding Tarou's chained body. She had no idea what it meant, just whispering, she returned the sword.

" _Sesshoumaru-sama…"_

The demon decided to check for himself, grabbed the sword and lifted his eyebrow in surprise.

" _He is already dead."_

" _What do'ya mean, Sesshoumaru? Miroku only put a barrier…"_  Inuyasha butted in.

" _Judging from the look of it, he has been dead for some days already. I cannot help him. He is nothing but an empty shell… Priestess, purify him."_

Kagome's eyes threw an offended look at him, but she obeyed, approached Tarou and released her powers. Suddenly a blast of miasma surrounded them, and Naraku's repulsive laugh spread around. Unused to Naraku's attack, Yuutsuki lifted up her sword in a protective manner.

" _It is an illusion. Do not be deceived."_  Sesshoumaru whispered the words next to her ear and she relaxed a bit, trusting the demon lord completely.

" _Sesshoumaru!"_  Naraku's voice was coming from all sides.  _"Once again I took something from you."_

Sesshoumaru hissed and growled out:

" _You took nothing from me, but patience. I guarantee you will no longer do as you wish. The cold, unrelenting steal of my blade is urging to end your deplorable existence."_

" _Proud as always. Oh. You have a Ren here. That's why I cannot sense the shard."_

" _Coward! Stop hiding and confront me!"_  Inuyasha swung Tessaiga around.

The miasma faded, along with it Naraku's laugh. Sesshoumaru jumped few meters behind, picking up a small pebble from the ground and as he walked, drops of crimson blood would drip from his wound. He threw the shard towards Inuyasha, grabbed Tarou's corpse and looked at Yuutsuki, leaving just afterwards.

" _Where'd he go? Who was that demon anyway?"_  Sango bombed Yuutsuki with questions.

She answered, but her eyes were focused on the direction the demon lord had departed in.

" _Tarou, a servant of his. I will remain with you, is that all right?"_

" _No need to ask, Yuu-chan. By the way, I thought of going home for few days. Wanna come?"_  Kagome twitted rather cheerfully.

" _Is that possible?"_  Yuutsuki awoke from the lethargy caused by the recent events.

" _Of course it is. You belong to the future. It's enough you hold a piece of Shikon no Tama."_

" _When will we go?"_  The girl couldn't hide her excitement, longing for home intensively.

" _Oh my, you both will go and we will stay with Oka…Unless she decides to leave as well."_  Sango sighted.

" _Speaking of Oka, she should be catching up shortly."_  Miroku smiled, but there was no humour in his words.

" _Bah, as for me she's good for nothin'."_  Crossing his arms, Inuyasha thrust his lips out in displeasure.

Yuutsuki laughed slightly, but her thoughts returned to previous worries. Undoubtedly Sesshoumaru was a truly robust demon, notwithstanding this fact, his condition was of great concern. Despite of how he had acted, a wound of that calibre had surely affected him, the girl could only hope for his fast convalesce. In the end he hadn't spoken of her grandmother anymore, maybe one day, after coming back from the future she would still have an opportunity to inquire.

" _Let's go back to the village. For now there are no shards to take care of, no trace of Naraku can be found…"_  The monk's voice interrupted her thoughts.

" _Yea, let's go or ya will be late for those tests of yours or somethin', Kagome."_  After the half demon spoke, the whole party began walking.

Sesshoumaru looked at the ground where he had buried Tarou's body. There were many thoughts occupying his mind, but he said nothing, just slowly walked away. He hadn't gone far, he could still smell Yuutsuki's scent. Now his priority was to recuperate. A small, decent kip would help in recovering his wound. Before he dozed off in sleep a thought came over his mind. He regretted he hadn't taken the girl with him.

Two full, long days had passed before the girls were able to jump into the well, returning to their time. Yuutsuki was genuinely shocked after seeing their city again, the heavy smell of pollution, the view of technology.

" _So, whenever you want to come back, jump in."_  Kagome laughed, passing her a shard of the Jewel.

Going back home took her around fifteen minutes, but how wonderful the walk was. Unlike in the other world, everything in here was so normal and familiar to her. She knew every street, tree and building. The girl wondered if her family had been waiting for her, for sure they had been worried. Her wide smile and feeling of wellbeing burst like a soap bubble when she entered her house. One glance at her mother's face was enough to tell that something had happened.

" _Yuutsuki! Oh, thank god! My girl…"_  Her mother's face was swollen, dark circles under her eyes made her look older than she really was. She run towards Yuutsuki and embraced her tightly.

" _I am so glad you've come back…"_ She said, while weeping.

" _Mother… What happened?"_  From the older woman's eyes more tears fell down, staining her pitch black kimono.

" _Your grandmother… passed away…"_

The funeral ceremony took place on the following day, it gathered many people. Yuutsuki was barely conscious, her watery eyes and head bent down didn't allow her to focus her vision on any of the faces during the ceremony. The girl didn't stay for condolences, the pilling up grief, it was hell. It burnt her ears, it scorched her tongue, devoured her soul. Rubbing the given ring, she released her tightly pulled up hair and grabbed her wooden sword, swinging it aimlessly in the air. Several tears fell down as she recalled her grandmother and the time they had spent together. Guilt and sadness were growing in her, clogging her throat, making her lips tremble.

" _Do you feel like sparring?"_  The girl heard her kendo instructor's voice. Nabu had probably escaped the formalities as well. She used her sleeve to wipe tears and nodded her head, passing him another wooden sword. They both bowed and the fight began.

" _You've improved a lot."_

Gasping for air, she threw Nabu a small, faint smile. For the first time she had won the fight fair and square, without using tricks or distractions.

" _Thank you."_

" _Yuutsuki!"_  Her mother was standing with a small envelope in her hands. Approaching the woman, she took a look at her puffy eyes. She had been crying a lot.

" _There was a man in here, he asked me to give this to you."_ Mother passed her the white envelope.  _"Strangely, he said he used to know your grandmother when she was young… Yet he looked so young himself…"_  She continued.  _"Won't you come back? Everyone is asking for you."_

Yuutsuki shook her head in denial. There was no possibility of keeping her pose, looking at grandma's black and white picture and people paying respects to it. She'd rather not see it.

" _I will be in my room."_

Yuutsuki put the unread envelope on her bedside table, it was clearly condolences. She lied down on her bed, closed her eyes and tried to force her mind into blank, however, in vain. Curiosity took over and with one movement she tore the white paper and opened the envelope, deciding to read it out loud.

_Ms. Ren Yuutsuki._

The girl unfolded the paper and looked at the neat, straight handwriting.

 

> _I was deeply saddened to hear about Hanako's demise. As I said once, her name is familiar to me. If you are still willing to listen, you are welcomed anytime in my antique store…_

There was an address written underneath. The letter was strange indeed, but something else had caused an eclipse in her heart. It was the signature, a name, which made her head lighter.

> _Sincerely,_
> 
> _Sesshoumaru._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank You for reading!
> 
> If you dislike the part about the future, don't worry, the story returns to the past already in the next chapter.
> 
> I don't think you've missed Oka, but she's going to show up in the next chapter with a bit more important role than heretofore.


	11. Chapter 11

Several days had passed before Sesshoumaru could think of collecting Yuutsuki. He would have done it sooner if not for minor issues with his vassals that had been piling up in the past and a few visits his mother had recommended him to attend to improve relations with other powerful demon and human families. Sesshoumaru took no pleasure in doing any of these time-wasting tasks, especially when some of these involved punishing unruly servants or out of line demons in his lands. Even though he was undoubtedly known as the strongest being of the west and its surroundings, he could not afford to give signs of feebleness or disobedience in order to keep away any demon foolish enough to attempt to take his place as the master of those lands. Now, free of his lord duties, he was on his way to provide the girl with a proper training, like he had assured before, and lord Sesshoumaru would never break his vow.

The intense scent of his half-brother filled up his nostrils and he smirked slightly. She should be somewhere nearby. Catching her subtle scent, he redirected himself towards it. How surprised was he to discover that the trace ends up in a dry well not far from a village where Inuyasha and the group usually met.

" _She's not in here."_  He heard his brother's voice approaching his location.

" _Neither is your wench. Where did they go?"_  Sesshoumaru was annoyed at his half-brother's obvious conclusion.

" _Home."_  Inuyasha simply answered, walking away to his original location.

Sesshoumaru was not pleased with the situation, the human girl should have informed him of her intentions before doing anything, nevertheless, the demon futilely waited for a day, but there were no signs of Yuutsuki's eminent return. He took out the Rens' sword the belonged to that era, bared a claw and carved a word on the upper part of the blade, hoping that it would appear on the sword Yuutsuki held in her time:

" _Return."_

The demon put the sword next to him, and stared at the well waiting for the girl's return.

/

Yuutsuki's hand was shaking a bit, before she pushed the door of an antique shop in an attended part of the city. The interior dumbfounded her, one would imagine an antique shop to be a dusty, murky, grimy place with an unpleasant smell settling around. Yet this particular shop was nothing like that. For instance, the walls were painted white, free of pattern, making one deem the place bigger. Each and every corner was thoroughly illuminated, exposing the amazing products the shop was offering. Shining armours, richly patterned swords, royal apparel and other impressive objects were placed on black platforms, underneath prices, that made the girl's head swirl. Yuutsuki had not expected it to be such a luxurious place. As soon as she closed the door, a young attendant in a neat uniform greeted her.

" _Welcome to the shop, is there anything I can help you with?"_  Yuutsuki nodded politely, folding her hands together.

" _I am looking for the owner."_ The attendant threw a dubious look at her, but she did not look away, letting her eyes carefully study the person's face.

" _The owner isn't here right now. Do you have an appointment?"_

" _No, I am afraid. If you are so kind as to call him and ask when I should come…"_  Yuutsuki sighted slightly, directing her gaze at the window. It had started raining.

" _That should be fine, please, wait a minute."_  The attendant quickly dialled a number, after three signals the call went through.

" _This is Mio speaking. There is somebody requesting a meeting with you…"_

" _No… No appointment…A young miss…"_

" _Excuse me, miss, what is your surname?"_

Yuutsuki hesitated for a moment, the whole situation was awkward, she was about to meet probably totally different Sesshoumaru, who now was an owner of an exclusive antique shop, surely wasn't the same person as before, on the other hand, he had invited her himself.

" _Ren, Yuutsuki Ren."_

" _She's called Ren Yuut... Y…yes, yes sir, of course."_  The call finished and the attendant spoke:

" _He is heading this way, would you like to drink something?"_

" _No, I am going to take a look around."_

Ten minutes passed and the door opened again, Yuutsuki was too tense to turn around and realize who had come in.

" _Good morning! The miss is waiting in there."_  The attendant´s voice cleared her doubts.

" _Thank you Mio, prepare two coffees."_  Yuutsuki felt a belt tightening on her chest upon hearing his voice. The same tone and manner of speaking, how was that possible.

" _Right away."_

She heard footsteps approaching, causing her heart to pound faster. The girl turned around and saw the familiar face of the lord of the west. The magenta markings and crescent moon were gone, the long, once silver hair was now black, loosely falling on his neck. Golden eyes, the only thing left from his demon features were looking straight at her face, making her lip tremble. Looking so different, yet so familiar he caused extreme feelings.

" _I am really sorry for your loss. Let us speak in my office."_  He didn't even blink once, constantly observing her reactions.

The girl nodded and she was led to his office, wherein the lack of ornamentation was even more expressive than in the rest of shop's décor. They sat down, facing each other. Sesshoumaru, despite the modification of his appearance, managed to keep his habitual, apathetic expression.

" _How… I…I have so many questions…"_  The vastness of her questions didn't enable her to decide what to inquire first. She looked him in the eyes daringly, hoping he would initiate the conversation.

The attendant first knocked, then opened the door and delivered two cups of steaming coffee. When the door closed, and they were alone again, he spoke slowly.

" _I did not invite you to answer your questions, I promised to tell you about Ren Hanako, to tell you how I used to know her."_

Yuutsuki blinked, slightly stirred.

" _Of course I want to know, but obviously you had expected it. Just few days ago I spoke to silvered hair demon Sesshoumaru. It was more than five hundred years ago. Today I meet you in modern times. It would be ignorant of me to just listen, lose such an opportunity to …"_

" _Ignorance is bliss."_ He interrupted abruptly.  _"Either you listen, or you will not have a chance again. I might look different, but I still can kill properly, if annoyed. First YOU answer my questions."_  Sesshoumaru took a sip of the coffee, piercing her eyes with his. Yuutsuki didn't have a choice, his mighty presence wouldn't forgive objections.

" _Demystify the events before you left the past. I want to know at what point we stand."_

She was getting tired of his unduly bossy tone.

" _We… It was after Tarou injured you. Using your absence I returned home. I hope the damage wasn't too severe."_  He closed his eyes for a minute or two and then spoke.

" _I recovered rather fast. I've met Hanako in the past, she had travelled through time, just like you did. Unlike yours, her travel was a fruit of sheer coincidence."_  Sesshoumaru loosened his black tie a bit and continued.  _"She stayed in the Rens' house, wherein I often indwelled due to military plans and commands. She had no talent for either sword or spiritual powers and most importantly, no idea how to return home. Eventually the Rens began to see her as a fifth wheel, degrading her status to a mere servant. One of my companions felt sorry for her, possibly got enchanted with her unusual beauty, so he decided to help her by taking her to a powerful witch to ask for an advice. Hanako received the help, she did manage to return home, but in return, she agreed to pay a price without realising the true meaning of it."_

The demon observed how variable the girl's expression was. Previously muddled, later gradually trying to conceal her confusion, and finally, entirely heeding his words. He would have been better off remaining in the shadows, just perceiving her human life, not meddling in her matters. Nonetheless he sought to shelter her existence, to sustain the brittle flame of a candle for longer. To fulfil his plans he was prepared to blot his honour and lie in her eyes, if that was required for her to live. Sesshoumaru quaffed the coffee and continued speaking, disguising his real emotions under the mask of indifference.

" _The next time we met was already in the future. She noticed me by chance, after several short talks I decided to pass the Rens' sword and ring to her, for safekeeping in favour of her family. Regrettably, misfortune fell upon her. Few days before her wedding, the fiancé died in an accident. Hanako quickly discovered she was pregnant, and was left with no husband and a child, all by herself. The child was named after Rens and Hanako never tried to find another man. Her son grew up to be a very bright, talented boy. Everyone complimented his sword abilities. And before you ask me, yes it was your father."_

Yuutsuki swallowed and took a deep breath. She had never known of grandmother's past, neither about grandfather. Sesshoumaru's information had come as a mild shock to her. She had never imagined that such rough events had happened in her grandmother's life.

" _Seems like Hanako decided to send her son to the past. It was several months after you were born. The man never came back, leaving his young wife and child behind. I never spoke to Hanako again. Speaking briefly, that's all I know."_

" _So what was the true meaning of accepting the help of the witch?"_

" _Misfortune. Losing everyone close to her, remaining in solitude."_

Several silent minutes passed before Sesshoumaru got up, turned his back at her, observing the scenery behind the window.

" _You are going to stay in the future, I presume."_

The girl drank her coffee, thinking about her grandma's story.

" _I've thought about it. But then again, I urge to go back."_

" _There is nothing in there for you!"_  The angry voice startled her, a shiver went down through her spine when his now red, burning eyes locked on hers.

" _Your mission is finished, there is no need to risk your life any further. I would like you to hand over the sword, without unsheathing it ever again. You do not want to share your father's fate do you?"_

The demon stood behind the sitting girl and placed his hand on her thin shoulder. Various memories stroke him, causing a sharp heart ache, but he managed to keep a straight face, only his hand shook a bit.

" _Can we go and collect the sword right now?"_  He tried to say it as smoothly and naturally as he could, but a tone of roughness still remained in his voice. Yuutsuki faced him, placing her big, staggered dark eyes on his.

" _You have no reason to return. Trust me_." His hand squeezed her shoulder a bit harder as the girl shook her head in disagreement.

" _Am I not to draw it ever again, because of what you have carved in it?"_

He hadn't expected her to have seen it. He swore silently, releasing his grip, observing the long, curvy hair as the girl got up from her place and ventured several steps in the direction of the door.

She turned around, her eyes pointed at the floor. She looked like a small, abandoned girl, desperately looking for a way home. However Sesshoumaru knew that despite the appearance, that tiny body of hers was a host to a large personality.

" _You cannot return. The return means…"_

Yuutsuki shook over his hand, got up and hit her fists on the door.

" _The only way to keep me away from it is to kill me!"_

Sesshoumaru beheld the rosy colour of her cheeks and tightened fists, the determined, dark eyes were intensively battling all his efforts to keep her harmless, alive and close to him. Regrettably, admonishing her was not a solution. Barely holding his emotions and desires when sighting, he said:

" _I oughtn't to tell you. Nevertheless it's my last resort to keep you alive. Listen carefully, for I will not repeat myself. You MUST make me want to kill you."_

The wind howled savagely, rippling through the grasses growing over the village, rustling in the hawthorn bushes and tall nettles. All villagers had been sleeping for many hours already. The moon was high in the sky and only one, flickering light was illuminating a small hut.

" _That's why I am telling you! Ugh… I will PAY! A lot of gold!"_  Oka screamed out, tightening her fists strongly.

" _It's just a human wench, why do ya need us two to kill her? Huh?"_  A female demon kept circling around Oka, trying to judge her real reasons. Her long, blue hair was loosely falling on heavy armour wielded on her shoulders. Her bright, but unnaturally sunken eyes were jumping back and forth, whilst her long flexed claws were twitching.

" _Haha it's not like she's strong, no no, just I thought maybe you and your sister prefer to go together…Ehehe…"_  Under the harsh glare of the creature Oka suddenly began to feel threatened, experiencing that not all demons were so refined and mannerly like Sesshoumaru-sama.

" _And you have the gold with you?"_ Oka could feel a burning breath on her neck, the other sister had joined them.

" _Only a small amount. If I did you would kill me for money…"_

" _Naka, she is not as stupid as she appears. And she is not telling us the truth. The girl is not alone."_

The other demon had short, silver hair, she was wearing a lengthy, white dress with no ornaments, her face was covered by a grey mask, making her seem like a faint spectre. Naka exposed her long fangs and spoke:

" _My sister, Kona is not a warrior type. She has other, useful abilities. For example, she distinguishes when one is lying… Sometimes can read minds and use magic. So you better speak the truth."_  The blue haired demon's talons reached for the human, yet her movement ceased as Kona's melancholic voice broke through.

" _Don't be so naïve. Of course she is not alone."_

" _So… Now! Tell the truth!"_

Naka hissed at Oka, pushing her on the floor. The demon snatched Oka's tiny hair and tossed her against a wall.

" _Fine!"_  Wobbly hands of Oka bent in pleading gesture.  _"She's travelling with lord Sesshoumaru, I bet you know who he is. Other times she travels with a priestess, a monk, a demon exterminator and a half demon, Inuyasha – he is lord Sesshoumaru's half-brother and he wields Tessaiga. So the task isn't easy. But I believe the payment is motivating enough for you to go and try! If you kill me here there will not be any reward…"_

The human cried with low, plaintive, broken sounds as Naka made another sudden movement towards her direction.

" _You little human, you annoy me! She is guarded by SUCH a party and you wanna pay only THIS much of gold? You will have to multiply it by the number of people the wench is with. Let's see. That would be five times more than proposed."_

Naka's armour made a loud sound as she lowered her position gradually, until her eyes reached the same level as Oka's.

" _I don't want you to kill the rest! Just kill Yuutsuki Ren and bring her ring and sword."_

" _Ah yes, a ring and a sword. That will be six times more."_

Oka tightened her lips in trepidation, the demon was undoubtedly truly desirous, thus opposing could cause unpleasant, crucial actions, in worst case resultant in losing her life. Agreeing for their condition was the last part of Oka's plot to destroy Yuutsuki's life in the west. The Rens family was indeed, a very powerful and impactful clan, hence her, as a royal daughter of it, hadn't had any troubles in convincing the people around, that Yuutsuki, in fact, was a shady witch, who had enchanted Lord Sesshoumaru with her dark spells, making him forget about his obligations and promises towards the Rens family, thereby helping the enemy she had pledged her services to. A vision of the human-demon alliance breaking apart and undoubtedly, a granted, tempting reward for the witches head had encouraged the people to take action, causing the words to spread around instantly.

" _Six times, that will be."_

/

Sesshoumaru had spent two days awaiting the imprudent girl, telling himself that he would wait no more, however, another day had passed and the lord of the west remained in his place until he finally sensed the girl's presence. To his displeasure, Inuyasha and his support group had been drawing closer, almost reaching the location.

The demon observed as first, a bag and later the sword had been thrown out from the inside of the well. A smooth alleviation tickled his mood, as Yuutsuki's face appeared in front of him. Her eyes were saddened, yet determined, she was wearing light armour, her hair tied high up, alike his. She grabbed the sword, lifted it up and pointed at him.

" _Lord of the west! Fight me!"_

Sesshoumaru smirked, finding her sense of humour quite contrary.

" _Very haughty of you. Who gave you permission to leave without my consent?"_

" _If I win, I will no longer need any consent of yours."_

" _What of my victory?"_

" _Today I do not plan to yield. Either I reach my goal, or I die."_

" _Do you urge for freedom that much?"_

Yuutsuki sheathed her sword and lowering her body, she put her left foot back just to set off towards Sesshoumaru. The demon's eyes exposed disbelief when she decisively and swiftly took off the sword, aiming a blow straight at his stomach level. A human would certainly get injured, however he avoided it effortlessly, but he did not expect her to make a half-spin, attacking again. The girl's eyes widened when he grabbed her arms, drawing her closer. The sword fell on the ground, and she was immobilised.

" _You cannot fight me, you are too weak."_

" _I am also stubborn."_  Yuutsuki spoke through her teeth as the dog demon let her go. The girl bent down to pick up her sword.

" _I also know there are no rules in surviving."_  She almost inaudibly spoke as she attempted another attack in a piercing movement from the ground.

" _Insolent! You tempt your luck."_ The demon barely evaded the attack. The human's impudence had annoyed him.

" _Very well…"_ he said while drawing his sword  _"…you shall realise the level of your delusions."_  The great demon thrust to attack, aiming for girl. She swallowed loudly, fearing the aftermath of her reckless actions.

Inuyasha jumped between them, hoarding Yuutsuki with his body. The half demon warded off the blow, but the impact of it pushed him to the ground.

" _Sesshoumaru! Are you out of your mind?"_  Inuyasha screamed, breathing heavily.

" _Out of the way, mutt!"_  Sesshoumaru bared his glowing, poisonous claws. Yuutsuki had noticed him aiming it at her throat and for a moment, her heart skipped a bit, for she felt the familiar feeling coming out from the ring. But it was not given for her to use the power, Sesshoumaru's attack was too overwhelming. A beam of green light swathed tightly around her, chocking her, the force of it compressing her ribs. She desperately tried to use purifying powers, but she felt nothing besides the remaining warmth of the ring. Yuutsuki beheld Inuyasha trying to attack Sesshoumaru and struggling, she managed to say:

" _Inuyasha, stay out of this, please…"_

She grabbed the hilt tighter, not being sure if the tingling of the arm was caused by lack of air or incoming demon power sent by the sword. Her body got thrown up in the air, consequently it violently fell on the ground and she did not move anymore.

" _Imprudent."_  Sesshoumaru hissed, yet he hesitated before turning away. He had never wanted to hurt the girl in such a way. He saw her small fists tightening and observed how she slowly lifted herself and spoke, wiping blood form her mouth:

" _Not yet…"_

Yuutsuki really hoped that what Sesshoumaru had said in the future would turn out to be true, it was the only thing providing her bravery. Her body ached and the only thing she wished for was the damned sword to work, regardless of the consequences. She wasn't peculiarly staggered when she sensed the demon's aura growing bigger, angrier, sowing a fear of death in her mind. He identified her dread and sneered in delight, there was nothing more daunting for Yuutsuki at this point. Grabbing her throat, he wrapped his other hand around her waist and tilted her head down, making her even more terrified. Yuutsuki felt like a prey, about to be devoured. The tingling grew stronger and suddenly the arm became lighter, as if a feather in the air. Yuutsuki swung it incredibly fast, freeing herself from Sesshoumaru's oppression. Joyfulness entered her heart; she had managed to summon the sword's demon energy at whim. Sesshoumaru's words spoken in his office had turned out to be true, without them she wouldn't have had the courage to even try fighting his past self.

_~flasback~_

" _When it happens, try to lock it with spiritual powers. Try to close it in your arm only. If you allow it to spread, you might die. You must learn how to pull it out and push it in."_

_~the end of the flashback~_

These words still rang in her head, nonetheless it was really hard to use spiritual powers when angry Sesshoumaru was about to attack her again. She fell to her knees, sweat dripping from her forehead. The retched demon energy had been burning her veins, and was progressing rapidly, already reaching her elbow. The cognizance of being inept to dodge Sesshoumaru's attack made her heart race like crazy, closing her eyes in effort to stop the energy from spreading, she screamed in fear and pain.

Miroku and Sango arrived at the place, observing in terror, how the demon lord rapidly approached Yuutsuki, his eyes red in fury. Now he seemed even madder than beforehand, as if something inside of him had been triggered, producing even greater rage. But there was no blow, no attack whatsoever. He knelt beside her, hastily and violently grabbed her right arm, releasing his enormous energy. The girl shouted in pain, but she comprehended what he had been trying to do. Sesshoumaru had become aware of the situation and her real motives, and now was trying to prevent the sword's energy to take over her body. Through his teeth he declared:

" _Your act is insane! You are the most asinine human I have even seen. You must resist! Push it in!"_

Miroku approached them, sensing the swords energy overpowering Yuutsuki's body. Sesshoumaru barked out:

" _Do not. She must do it herself."_

The monk hesitated a bit, but he made no move, just witnessed how Sesshoumaru's and the sword's energies were fighting. He felt as well a small sparkle just in between them, Yuutsuki's spiritual power. A startling thing happened, the sparkle turned to a flame, which still could not relate its power to the other two existent energies, but amazingly it began to push away the evil energy back to the sword.

/

Kona and Naka stood next to a cowering, dirty man. He was yelping quietly, embracing his thin body with his attenuated arms.

" _Please, please…"_

" _I am going to ask you a few questions and you are going to answer them quickly, fluently and compressively. If you stammer to hesitate even for a moment, if you give me the slightest reason to doubt the truth of your words, then…"_

The warrior demon contorted her pale lips, spat vehemently on the ground and crossed her chainmail-clad arms with a crunch.

" _Anyway, I advise you to weight each word with care, you piece of scum."_ Naka tightened her harsh hand on the man's throat and continued.

" _Have you seen a lass with a sword and a ring, travelling with a great demon Sesshoumaru or half demon Inuyasha and his pack?"_

" _I do not know her… I have nothing to do with her…"_

Kona made a hand gesture, which gagged the man's chaotic words. Naka laughed and spoke:

" _I wanna you to speak precisely… Have you seen any of these demons?"_

The man nodded eagerly, his eyes turned glossy.

" _Good… Now talk…"_  Kona's low, calm voice encouraged the man to speak, for now he was freed from her spell.

" _I have heard… That the lord of the west is in the village… waiting for somebody… as for Inuyasha, he always returns in here, he is lady Kaede's friend…"_

Kona smiled and questioned more. Her wicked eyes opened wider, piercing the man who seemed fascinated, enchanted by her look.

" _Could it be that lady Kaede would provide us with more information about Yuutsuki Ren?"_

The man's eyes began to bleed; however he appeared to disregard it, as if oblivious of the fact.

" _Oh yes, I bet she would…"_

" _Good…You are a good man…"_  He fell on the floor. Upon losing his breath he smiled and died in silence, unable to take his eyes away from the paralyzing eyes of Kona, who only huffed and turned away, putting her grey mask on.

" _I love the way you kill them. They don't even know they are dying…Are you urging to put your eyes on the famous lord of the west?"_  Naka kicked the corpse and followed her sister.

" _Let's meet the priestess of this village, the lady Kaede…"_  Kona smirked and Naka's mind clouded. Kona had never smiled before; it only meant that the quest should be interesting.

 


	12. Chapter 12

Inuyasha had decided to jump into the well and bring Kagome to the past, for the lack of her presence was tormenting and causing him to over worry. Throughout the last couple of hours Miroku had been trying to cast a protection seal on Yuutsuki's arm to keep the sword's demon energy from spreading in case if it went berserk again.

" _It should keep it from spreading, at least for now. You should work on your spiritual powers, they do seem to collaborate reasonably well with the ring's power."_  The monk stated, taking his hand away from Yuutsuki's shoulder. She said nothing, just bowed her head in appreciation. If not for the sudden inflow of adrenaline, her body would have been long absorbed by the sword's energy, not even the ring would have saved her. She had willingly agreed to be possessed, taken over, fortunately the disaster had been narrowly avoided. Yuutsuki felt remorseful, she had behaved like a sassy youngster again, putting herself and others in jeopardy.

" _If you wish, until Kagome comes back I can give you a tip or two."_  Miroku smiled, skilfully alleviating her sense of guilt.  _"Now rest, you need to sleep it through. We will bring you something to eat before the nightfall."_  The girl nodded in agreement, omitting her condition on purpose. She passed out as the hut's door closed with a squeal.

Yuutsuki was lying on the floor of Kaede´s hut, inept to control reoccurring shivers running through her enfeebled body. The room was dark and in the air there was a simmering stench of mould. The intentional intake of demon energy had made her feel like a sick dog after consuming a bad sausage. The additional damage caused by Sesshoumaru was certainly not meliorating her state of being. In the end, her assignment had turned out to be fruitless, Sesshoumaru's instructions had not been put in action. She indeed, had managed to lock a part of the sword's energy in her arm, making it swifter and more powerful, but that was not the main objective. Now with no clue which way to proceed, she awaited the upcoming events with uneasiness in her heart, fearing for the worst. She had blindly trusted Sesshoumaru from the past, that she hadn't even dare to doubt his intentions. Maybe it was of his interest for her to leave the past and remain in the future, maybe she was about to cause something irreversible, not necessarily erroneous, harmful.

However, it was not of her intention to execute the plan anymore for somewhere deep within she knew, she had made a mistake, her judgements had been influenced, and her, too persuaded. The awareness of Sesshoumaru's anger, the feeling of his rage, made her feeling horrible about it, had come to confirm it. Yuutsuki regretted her imprudence.

She passed out for a bit again, just to wake up even woozier and with more difficulties breathing. The events came to her head again, causing thousands of uncatchable thoughts. The only thing was sure, feeling embarrassed, she dreaded fronting the whole party, in particular Sesshoumaru the most.

She was too ashamed to ask for aid.

The hut's door opened slightly and Yuutsuki turned her head towards the entrance, giving a short intake of air to her lounges.

" _I have brought you something to eat."_ Sango approached the dark figure lying on the floor. Even though the place was dim, she noticed Yuutsuki's ghastly face covered with sweat drops, her glossy, weirdly sunken eyes.

" _Yuutsuki!"_  The demon slayer dropped the soup bowl she had been holding and quickly opened the door widely to illuminate the place.

" _What is the matter?"_  The old priestess entered the hut, alarmed with Sango's shout.  _"Oh… she needs help, Sango, quickly, bring some fresh, cold water and my bag of herbs."_ Kaede knelt in front of Yuutsuki and started to undress the girl.  _"Don't let any men inside!"_ She added, yelling.

" _How did you develop such a fever, child?"_

Yuutsuki lifted her eyes at the old woman's face as her vision became dimmer and darker, she heard an obstinate buzzing in her head, until she finally lost consciousness yet again.

Kaede left the hut after half of an hour, with a saddened face she announced to Sango and Miroku:

" _She's unconscious, I feel a lot of demon energy running through her body, your seal has been broken, Miroku… If she doesn't get properly treated she might not last the night."_

The monk's eyes widened, he had not expect that.

" _Lady Kaede, is any of us capable of helping her right now?"_

The old woman sighted and shook her head in denial.  _"No my dear, none of us is that powerful. The only priestess strong enough to save her is Kikyou, and I have no idea where she is now. Sesshoumaru has not returned yet?"_

" _Not a sign of him."_  Sango squeezed her fists.  _"We cannot give up, Miroku, let's go to look for Sesshoumaru, with his abilities he can trace Kikyou and take Yuutsuki to her location."_  The monk nodded his head and shortly afterwards both of them disappeared in the shadows of the evening forest.

Yuutsuki opened her eyes, feeling extremely thirsty and hot. She licked her dry lips and tried to sit up, but the wooziness prevented her from doing so. Covered only by wet clothes, she looked around, catching a sign of her garments quite close by. The three coloured ring was emanating with prickly energy, as if warning her from something. She heard voices outside.

… " _Sesshoumaru has not returned yet?"_

" _Not a sign of him. We cannot give up, Miroku, let's go to look for Sesshoumaru, with his abilities he can trace Kikyou and take Yuutsuki to her location."_

Struggling, she straightened up and reached her clothes. With an enormous effort she managed to get herself dressed. Still panting from exhaustion and fever, she hoped to grab the sword, but she had fainted before that.

\\\\\\\

The sun had been long gone when two figures emerged from the bone eater's well. The boy in red kimono sniffed the air and his facial expression changed.  _"Let's hurry Kagome, someone is approaching the village and they are not coming to drink a tea and chit chat."_ Inuyasha swiftly placed Kagome on his back and set off towards the village.

" _What do you mean by someone?"_

" _Two demons, strong ones and I don't sense Miroku and Sango nearby, dammit, Kaede and Yuutsuki are alone."_

\\\\\\\

" _Come out demons, I sense you there!"_  The old woman screamed out, trying to hide her fear. A warrior type, tall female demon appeared just in front of Kaede.

" _I am looking for Yuutsuki Ren, a girl with a ring and a sword. I have been told that a woman named Kaede can get me some information."_  The demon shook her long, blue hair and bared her pointy fangs.

" _I am Kaede, who might you be?"_

Kona approached the scene slowly. Kaede was speechless with fear, she had heard about this demon in long white dress with a mask on. One her look was enough to kill a person within a second.

" _No need to bother yourself anymore, Naka. I have read her mind, the girl is inside of this hut."_

Naka laughed and pushed the old woman on the ground.

" _Thanks, old one."_

The blue haired demon reached for the door, but withdrew her hand immediately, for a purifying arrow whistled just next to her ear.

" _Next time I won't miss!"_  Kagome screamed. Inuyasha put her on the ground and unsheathed Tessaiga. He firmly planted his feet into the soil, centring his balance in a vigilant position.

" _I guess that would be the priestess and the half breed. Kona, I know you wanted to meet that Sesshoumaru, but c'mon, help me here, don't just stand as always."_  There was no reaction from the silver haired demon. Kona moved herself towards the shadows of the trees. Naka sighted reproachfully.

" _There we go again. Fine. I will do it myself."_

" _Who are you?!"_  The dog demon pointed his sword at Naka.  _"And what the heck ya wanna?"_

Kagome approached Kaede and helped her to get up.

" _Grandma Kaede, are you fine? What happened?"_

" _Thank you m'child, they want Yuutsuki. She needs help she is really sick, Miroku and Sango went to look for Sesshoumaru. I'm afraid that only Kikyou can help her…"_

" _But what is it, maybe I can help?"_

" _She took demon energy into her body, willingly. I think her body got kind of poisoned. Miroku put a seal to protect her, but it has been broken, or maybe it did not work at all, I don't know myself. The problem is that taking away the energy is not enough. Someone has to purify her. I think it is too much for you Kagome."_

" _Stop blabling, move away! We won't hurt anyone if you let me take that Yuutsuki girl. What do you care, from what you are saying it sounds as if she's going to die anyway."_ Naka moved herself towards the door of the hut.

" _Kaze no kizu!"_  Inuyasha attacked her suddenly, expecting to startle her, however she dodged quite easily. Naka twitched her claws and growled loudly.

" _Now you're dead, bastard!"_  She briskly set off and punched Inuyasha in the face, just to kick his stomach afterwards. The boy flew back, the impact made him hit a tree. He got up hastily, wiped blood on his lip, and with temper filling his golden eyes, he attacked.

Kagome took advantage of the commotion and entered the hut. She noticed Yuutsuki in incomplete garments, her hair partly wet from sweat, lips dry and face worryingly insipid. Sensing an intense energy from her, she lifted Yuutsuki's inert hand to confirm her theory. The girl's ring was trying to excrete the devastating energy from the sword. The ring kept the sword user harmless whilst using demon tools, but not when the wielder had willingly disregarded the protection. It was too late for the ring to work now. Kagome's face saddened. She concentrated herself on healing, or at least improving her state, buy more time to find a resolution. Outside echoes of battle could be heard, the blue haired demon seemed like a tough opponent. The priestess hoped for Inuyasha's safety.

It had been more an hour that Sango and Miroku were searching for Sesshoumaru's trace. They stopped in the middle of a clearing to repose and catch a breath.

" _Do you think she's going to be fine?"_  Sango quietly queried, directing her vision on the ground.

" _Not if we don't provide her with help… It seems to me like she is getting possessed_." The monk sat down on the ground and closed his eyes.

" _What do you mean?"_

" _I think that the sword's energy is really… Grasping. It had already made its way through to her heart when Yuutsuki used the sword without the ring. This time she requested it herself, so there is no way of taking it out the same way as before. That's why we need Kikyou. Yuutsuki needs a specific kind of… Exorcism you could say."_

" _Let's hope we will find him soon. Maybe let's try to call him out loud, maybe he is somewhere nearby, but for some reason does not allow us to feel his presence."_

Miroku nodded, acceding with her idea.

\\\

Dark haired priestess stopped abruptly. Her big, chestnut eyes looked around curiously, feeling a familiar presence. She perceived branches and twigs sway oddly, losing golden-brown leaves. Ordinarily, there would be nothing peculiar about this phenomenon, but Kikyou knew it hadn't been caused by the wind. She redirected her glance at the nearby path, where first a shadow appeared and a second after, the priestess noticed one of her soul collectors and behind it a figure emerged in front of her.

" _What is of such importance that you lured my soul collector to trace me?"_  Ogling the demon lord, with a gloomy face she spoke tensely, as if bothered by Sesshoumaru's presence.

" _You are whipping yourself into a rage."_  Kikyou admonished him, her words sounded like a bitter accusation. A flurry of anger ran through his veins, strong enough to take him by surprise.

" _This is ridiculous."_ He growled." _If you are cognizant of my reveilles, do not waste time and come with me."_  The typical rawness of Sesshoumaru's voice was nowhere to be found, his words were curt and sharp. Not able to effectively quell his anger, he growled indignantly again.

" _If I can help, I shall help, but do not expect miracles. Just tell me one thing Sesshoumaru, why do you urge to save her?"_  The priestess spoke while observing the golden eyes, so similar to the ones she still loved. Sesshoumaru hissed at her words and grabbed her shoulder, to teleport them both.

" _She is my responsibility, I am honour bound to…"_

" _That's what you say out loud, but the truth remains hidden."_

The demon's glare, icy as a midnight breeze, pierced her eyes, but she did not flinch. Nothing else was uttered; the two figures vanished from the foggy clearing in an instant.

After fruitless search of Sesshoumaru, Miroku and Sango decided to leave the forest.

The thickness of its trees, its twisting network of woody vines, and the dangerous unevenness of the forest floor, all of this together gave the place a very unwelcoming feeling. They began trekking back to the village.

\\\

Kona was observing the fight with a dreary face, until a strong premonition came over her. The masked demon grabbed her scalp, trying to concentrate.

_A flash, enraged eyes of the demon lord, yet another priestess, the monk and the demon slayer._

_And finally, a death, no, two deaths. Their target and Naka were dead._

_Another premonition came by, more flashes. Them receding, a death, an image of a floor stained with blood…_

The second vision was much more optimistic for their purposes. Smirking, she called out to her sister.

" _Naka, it is enough. They are all heading this way."_

" _What about our job?"_  Naka yelled, engaging herself in yet another skirmish with Inuyasha.

" _The lass will die regardless of our actions. The rest we will collect other time."_

The blue haired demon did hesitate and briskly withdrew herself next to Kona. Years of experience had taught her to trust her sister in every judgment she would make.

" _You are not getting away!"_  Inuyasha swung Tessaiga.  _"Kaze no Kizu!"_  However, it did not range them. Without a trace, they disappeared into thin air. He decided to pursuit them.

Miroku and Sango noticed a bright burst of light nearby Kaede's hut, they rushed towards it.

To their sheer surprise they saw the ones they had been searching for, Kikyou and Sesshoumaru.

Without any words, the whole party along with Kaede barged into the hut and witnessed Yuutsuki opening her eyes narrowly, barely grasping for air. Kagome was crying while holding her pale, shaking hand. Kikyou knelt next to Yuutsuki, cursorily checking her state. The priestess frowned, tilting her head a bit on the side as if a great idea suddenly lighted up her thoughts. She folded her hands in several signs and a glowing, shimmering light emanated from her body.

" _I need you all to stay noiseless and not interfere, no matter what happens."_  Kikyou did not delay any further; she bared the girl's sweltering chest, exposing the bandage wrapped around her breasts.

Miroku looked away, slightly abashed. The priestess initiated a prayer and placed her palm on Yuutsuki's heart height. Waiting for the best moment, to everyone's surprise she emerged her hand into the enfeebled body, forming a hole. With a hasty movement she dragged out a black matter and purified it immediately. A strong jet of blood spattered out of the wound. It splashed Kikyou's face and kimono.

" _Kagome, I need your help, help me to stop the bleeding!"_

Kagome nodded understandingly, unleashing her healing powers. Nevertheless, the blood did not stop flowing, in fact the dense, red fluid began to make a puddle next to Yuutsuki's body.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened, he was speechless with incomprehension. He lowered his glance to see blood soaking down into the wooden desks. Restraining his rage, he withdrew Tenseiga, hoping to save the girl's life. There was nothing to cut through, it perplexed him.

" _Kaede, we need to sew her! Like this she will bleed out! Bring the needle now!"_  Kikyou said through her teeth.  _"Kagome do not stop healing, I will sew her…"_

From a small cabinet, the old priestess took out a needle and a line, passing it to Kikyou.

Not stopping the healing, Kagome grabbed Yuutsuki's hand. It was still warm, she was not dead yet. Tear drops fell into the increasing puddle of blood, melting into it. The silence was deafening.

Sesshoumaru thrust his nails in his palms, several drops of blood fell on the ground.

After fifteen minutes Kagome almost fainted from exhaust. Kikyou was fighting for Yuutsuki's life alone. Another fifteen minutes had passed before the treating was done. Kikyou had stopped the bleeding, closing the wound securely.

Still panting from drain, she spoke:

" _There is no danger anymore. She's really weak though, needs recovery."_

Kagome sighted with a great relief and lifted her eyes at Sesshoumaru. She saw a flicker of emotion in his eyes. Was it alleviation?

" _Great job, you saved her."_  Kaede admitted.  _"Go to rest, I'll change her clothing and clean the blood. Sango-chan, mind helping me?"_

" _Of course. The rest should leave."_

Miroku, Kikyou and Kagome exited the hut.

" _Sesshoumaru, you too."_  Kaede thought he would demur, but after throwing yet another glance at Yuutsuki, he placed Tenseiga alongside her body and left without a word.

\\\

Two days later.

" _I have bad news , all the people in the nearby villages are looking for Yuutsuki. Seems like there is a price for her head…"_

" _What?!"_  Astoundingly, Sesshoumaru barked out, not being able hide astonishment.

" _Sango, explain please."_  The eyes of Miroku scanned his beloved's face.

" _The house of Rens set a high price for Yuutsuki's head. Dead or alive. The word has spread. Everyone deems Yuutsuki as an evil witch who had enchanted the western lord, making him forget his true self, making him abandon his promises to people…"_

" _Nobody doubts the Rens. Nobody sees a reason to. They say that…"_ Sango threw a concerned glance at the hut where Kagome was helping Kaede to treat Yuutsuki.  _"that the Rens' only daughter, Oka will grant a big amount of money to the one who brings or kills Yuutsuki. Miroku… What should we do? Travelling through villages will be dangerous… We cannot count on hospitality of people anymore."_

" _Well… Oka did come in here demanding Yuutsuki to step down… That is of no surprise to me. The grand scale of her undertaking is though. We still have a couple of shards to find, so we cannot stop moving. As soon as she recovers we should depart again."_

" _I wonder what´s the best for Yuutsuki. Travelling together binds with danger for her. We really cannot avoid villages; we have to make money somehow…"_

Sesshoumaru hissed at Sango's words, who curled her posture, feeling the heaviness of his glare, but she quickly relaxed as Miroku placed his hand on her shoulder and declared.

" _Yuutsuki should be the one deciding. She's endangered everywhere anyway. If Oka put a high price for her head, there will surely be avaricious demons prowling around in order to cut off her throat. However, if she doesn't go with us the issue of spiritual training poses as a problem. She must learn how to extract her own powers in order to stop the sword's energy."_

Sesshoumaru did not even open his eyes.

" _Nonsense. My influences will easily disperse the rumours. The tongues shall stop wagging and Ren Oka's head will be cut off, serving as an example of treachery to the western lands."_

The demon's firm statement awoke doubts. Miroku shook his head and confronted Sesshoumaru's words.

" _No, this cannot be done, it will only worsen the situation. The people will see this as a proof of Oka's accusation."_

" _Enough of this crap."_  Inuyasha approached the trio.  _"Sesshoumaru likes to say Yuutsuki is his responsibility, so let him deal with it how he wants. I don't care about Oka, if she did what you say she deserves a punishment."_

" _Inuyasha, Yuutsuki should stay with us, she is extremely helpful in regaining the shards. Sesshoumaru-sama, if you fear those demons attempting to attack Yuutsuki again, why not to come with us, like this you could keep an eye on her."_  Miroku tried to persuade.

At that exact moment the hut's door opened and Kagome emerged from the inside. With a delighted smile she announced:

" _She finally woke up! She is suffering of blood loss, but apart from that she should be fine."_

Sesshoumaru opened his eyes suddenly, straightening his posture and frowned.

" _Why is she crying? Why do I smell her blood?"_

Kagome lowered her glance.

" _Kaede is changing her bandages, the wound renews every time we do that. She is as well really weak and in pain, her body is really fragile. We try to do this as carefully as possible, but pain is unavoidable."_

With one, swift jump he moved himself just next to the hut's door.

" _Sesshoumaru, please, you shouldn't go!"_

He fully omitted her plea and entered the place.

" _Sesshoumaru, what are you doing here, it's not time for visits yet!"_ Kaede looked through her shoulder. Her wrinkled hands were stained with bright red blood. The demon had never seen Yuutsuki in such a ragged state, he was shaken. Her skin scary pale, eyes covered in a dark, deep shadow. Her usually rosy lips, purple dry. She was barely conscious, probably unaware of events around her.

" _Continue. And leave once you're done."_  He directed Kaede with husky voice as he carefully swiped away hot tears from Yuutsuki's chilly cheeks, loathing himself for feeling despondent.

Kaede nodded. Before she left, she spoke:

" _Let her rest. If she needs, water is next to the pots."_

The hut's door shut and none of them broke the silence. She continued on sobbing and he continued on wiping her tears.

/

Kikyou came in, holding medicine in her hands. Sesshoumaru moved so that she could sit closer to sleeping Yuutsuki.

" _What are you giving her?"_ He enquired as the unpleasant smell of the mixture entered his nostrils.

" _It's just something to numb her pain and reduce the fever, she should sleep more soundly this way"_

" _If you do not wish to be truthful to yourself, at least save her the trouble of further doubt."_ Kikyou added after a pause, as she lied Yuutsuki down, again in pain. Sesshoumaru's expression remained icy cold and neither he nor the priestess exchanged another gaze or word as she walked out of the hut.


	13. Chapter 13

Yuutsuki awoke to a silent whoosh of the door. Even though it was completely dark, she recognized the person entering the place.

" _Se.."_  She coughed, the dryness of her throat did not allow her to speak. A sudden, sharp, rending pain constrained her movement. He passed her a mug with water. The girl emptied it in an instant.

" _Thank you."_  She could not see him, but she was sure he was looking at her. She nervously bit her lower lip, feeling the wound reopening. Fighting with pain, she took several shallow breaths. Yuutsuki heard the rustle of his clothing as he started fire in the hut, illuminating the place.

" _I am sorry… I apologize for the whole situation."_  The girl squeezed her fists.  _"I thought fighting you will force me to properly use the sword, I never suspected…I am so embarrassed…"_

" _You could have died."_  Sesshoumaru sat down close by, not bestowing her a glance.

" _I would have died if you did not bring that priestess…"_  Her voice was breaking and chest hurting from too rapid, deep breaths.  _"That's why I put myself in your hands. Say a word and I will go back to the future and I will never think about co…ming…b…ack…"_ The last part was spoken in broken whispers, hands pressing against her face, stifling repetitive sobs.

" _I do not wish for you in here indeed."_ His raw declaration was foreseeable, however it posed as a deserved offence to her anyway. She recomposed herself, stopped crying and despite the pain of moving her arms, she wiped the tears away.

" _I understand. I will return home then."_  Yuutsuki tried to lift herself, but his voice stopped her.

" _Foolish. I merely said I do not want you here. I have never told you to go back."_

She was puzzled by his ambiguous words.

" _Remaining here endangers your life. I assume you want to avoid lethal situations."_

Yuutsuki smirked, for she had recalled Sesshoumaru saying something similar in the future. He growled in annoyance.

" _What is so entertaining?"_  She lowered her glance, aware of how inappropriate her sneer had been.

" _Heard it before, nothing more. Can you explain why it is dangerous in here?"_  Sesshoumaru looked at her swollen, still livid eyes and sighted.

" _You are hasty, bold and quite often infelicitous in your verdicts, hence you have heard it before. Leaving this place is necessary, unless you urge to endanger everyone around you. Currently your head is being pursued by two bothersome demons and everyone who keeps warm relations with the Rens. They deem you as a fake Ren, a traitor and probably a witch. I do not know the details yet."_

" _But…"_ Yuutsuki tried to counter him.

" _You will not try to fight them and will not try to straighten the facts. You will not try to prove anything. There is a price for your head, lay low. I have just barely saved your life, do not taunt your fate."_

His admonitory glare kept her silent.

" _This…"_  He pointed at her chest  _"Is a wound born from your own thoughtlessness, do not mark yourself anymore. Inuyasha and the rest manage well without you. Come with me, train properly to finally master the sword. Wagging a useless piece of metal that only hurts you is not a worthy alternative."_

The girl kept quiet, for his words were true.

" _Decide yourself and inform me in the morning."_  Sesshoumaru left her alone, but no time to think was needed, she had already made the decision.

\\\

" _Good morning"_  Kaede opened the hut's door, letting fresh, chilly, morning air inside. It came as surprise to her that the girl was already awake.

" _Couldn't sleep?"_  The priestess passed her a bowl of warm rice. She curiously looked at the dying fire.

" _I had a visitor at night."_  Yuutsuki smiled and began to eat.  _"Thank you, Kaede-sama."_

" _Oh, I see. I heard he leaves today."_  The girl nodded.  _"Eat plenty, afterwards I will change your bandages."_

As Kaede was preparing herbs and clean clothes, Yuutsuki finished her meal and took off her blouse. Ungluing the bloody cloth was painful as always, however necessary to keep the wound clean. The priestess finished the procedure and stated:

" _Tenseiga really exceeds the healing process, I am impressed. A week more and you will be like new. Your clothes are all stained again, let me give you fresh ones. Unfortunately I only have the priestess garments left."_

Yuutsuki smiled again and bowed her head politely as she received the clothing.

" _Should you need any help, call me. I think you can manage by yourself already. But remember, no rash movements!"_  Kaede wagged her finger at her and left, dragging her feet on the ground. The girl had troubles keeping her balance due to vertigo, but she managed to put the garments relatively fast. She sighted and wished she could enjoy a hot bath. After attaching her sword to her waist, she grabbed Tenseiga and exited the hut. Already outside she saw no one but Kaede and Kagome chit chatting with other village women.

" _Yuutsuki! Do you feel better already? Are you sure you can walk?"_  Kagome rushed towards her, smiling radiantly.

" _Did you come to say bye to Sesshoumaru? He was around somewhere…"_ She looked around. _"I don't think we are going to see him soon, he said he is going back north-west today. Why do you have the swords with you? Don't tell me…"_  Kagome's expression became worried.  _"You are not in state to travel! And I thought you would stay with us…"_

Yuutsuki answered:

" _I am going with him and I promise, when I return I will be more helpful."_  Kaede grabbed her shoulder.

" _Don't be silly, in your state you are barely able to stand, you need to recover first."_

" _Kaede-sama, Kagome, sincerely thank you for your help."_  Yuutsuki bent her head really low.  _"Send my thanks and regards to others."_

" _Are you sure you are doing the right thing? Do you even know where you are going?"_  Kagome did not give in.

" _I will be fine, really. Thank you."_  Yuutsuki directed her steps towards the exit of the village, sensing Sesshoumaru. She saw him, waiting, inquisitively looking at the priestess outfit.

" _Did you abruptly discern a surge of spiritual abilities somewhere deep within?"_

The girl chuckled and denied with a hasty hand gesture.

" _That would be highly beneficial, but unfortunately, no. Blood stained all of my clothing."_  She pointed at Tenseiga.  _"Do you want me to return it to you?"_ Sesshoumaru took her other sword and put Tenseiga in the same place.

" _I will keep this one as for now."_

Yuutsuki was glad about it, she could continue on being healed by Tenseiga and travel more comfortably, due to the lack of the big Rens' sword. They moved slowly, Sesshoumaru one step ahead of her. After half of an hour of silence, Yuutsuki asked.

" _Where exactly are we headed to?"_

" _To my mother's lands. We should be there before the nightfall. I cannot teleport within such great distances, so we will as well walk."_  He stopped and looked back at her.  _"Do not worry, I am fully aware of your condition."_  To her surprise, the demon lifted her in the bridal style and headed forward with a dazzling pace, jumping from a tree to a tree. Two hours of constant run made her nauseous and uncomfortable. Sesshoumaru remained quiet and focused on the way ahead. Despite it being bumpy, she fell asleep out of monotony, embraced by the warmth of his body. Yuutsuki woke up on grass, sunrays hitting her eyes. She lifted herself roughly and straightaway regretted it, feeling the stabbing pain of her wound. A small stream caught her attention, she approached it and satisfied her thirst. The girl splashed the icy water on her face and neck, sensing her fever rising.

" _Are you hungry?"_  Sesshoumaru's words sincerely scared her, for she hadn't heard nor felt him drawing near. After several calming down breaths, she mumbled out:

" _I don't feel like eating."_

" _You've become sicker…"_  He pensively looked up and added:  _"I decided to count on luck and use up my whole energy on teleporting."_

Sesshoumaru grabbed her and used his instant teleportation. The scenery did not change much, the trees around looked the same. Still having her in his arms, the demon set off rapidly and did not stop for around an hour. They teleported again, and when Yuutsuki opened her eyes she saw five sturdy-looking demon soldiers pointing their swords at her and Sesshoumaru. Next second all of them were kneeling, with their heads low.

" _I am extremely sorry, Sesshoumaru-dono, we did not expect you. Sensing an approaching teleportation we prepared for the attack."_

Sesshoumaru did not release the girl from his grip, just nodded his head and ordered:

" _One of you teleport us inside, I have drained my energy as for now. Also, cast her to sleep, she needs rest. "_

" _Right away."_  One of the demons step forward and touched Yuutsuki, she immediately fell into a deep sleep.

Waking up was really pleasant, the place was filled with floral scent, warm sunrays entering the room through tall windows of the decorated room. Yuutsuki felt completely rested, although the comfortable bed was rather difficult to abandon.

Finally, the hunger took over and the girl got up, noticed folded clothes on a table. Her previous priestess outfit was nowhere to be found, so she decided to put whatever had been given. It turned out to be a grey kimono, something similar to martial arts training clothing. Her ring remained on her finger, but there were no swords with her. While getting dressed, Yuutsuki noticed that her wound had been treated.

A knock on the door could be heard. The girl finished putting on the outfit and answered:

" _Yes?"_

A man, male demon came in to the room, his grey, wide eyes curiously looked at her. He had very long, golden, curly hair covering his armoured shoulders. Smiling, he spoke with a smooth voice:

" _Did you rest well?"_

" _Uhm… Yes. Do you know where I can find lord Se…"_

" _Oh excuse me, I did not present myself. Forgive me."_ He bowled his head low.  _"I was merely enchanted with your splendid beauty. My name is Tadao and I am the head General in here. It is nice to meet you, Ren Yuutsuki."_

The girl felt skipped, but she as well bowled respectfully.

" _Tadao-sama, nice to meet you too. Can you tell me where I can find lord Sesshoumaru then?"_

" _He is really busy at the moment, I will help you with everything. First let's feed you."_

" _I will not take a lot of his time…"_ She insisted, feeling a bit abashed by his intense look.

" _Quite a spirit you have, in addition that blush on your cheeks, just as Tarou had said, you are marvellous."_  Tadao seemed amused.  _"I am sure that lord Sesshoumaru will come to you when he is free, so forget about him as for now. Aren't you hungry?"_

Yuutsuki decided that she would look for Sesshoumaru on her own and as for now take care of her needs.

" _Yes, I am."_

Tadao laughed.  _"You are completely not minding my complements, do you feel uncomfortable? I apologize, sometimes I am too straightforward."_  The girl lifted her chin higher and pugnaciously looked into his eyes.

" _Don't worry about it. Shall we go?"_ The demon nodded.

" _Yes. After the food though, there is training. Are you up to it? Is your body fine already_?" She flinched as he tilted towards her face, bringing He was tall, as tall as Sesshoumaru, but his whole posture seemed more muscular. Tadao smiled and grabbed her wrist, slightly pulling her to him.

" _Follow me."_

He brought her to a dining room, where she ate a big meal. Afterwards he trained her for three hours nonstop, teaching her how to handle the Rens' sword more efficiently. Throughout all the time he was tremendously courteous and slightly teasing. Eventually, the girl became found of his sense of humour and was giggling with him every time he threw a remark. As Yuutsuki became too tired to continue training, he stated:

" _It is time for the formal introductions, but we do not want you to greet the lady of the house in sweaty clothes, do you?"_

Yuutsuki wiped the drops of sweat from her forehead.

" _Definitely no."_

" _My room has access to my private hot springs, you are more than welcome to chop in with me."_  He blinked his eye, taunting her again.

" _Of course I am joking, pretty. There is no need to get tense."_  Suddenly, his expression changed, making him loose his dazzling smile. At that moment Yuutsuki sensed Sesshoumaru's aura and opposite to Tadao, she smiled, hoping to talk to the demon lord.

Sesshoumaru appeared out of nowhere, wearing a golden-brown kimono, his hair tied. The golden eyes were shining, looking straight at the girl, the tension of the gaze almost unbearable. She bowled her head, greeting him. Tadao bowled as well and spoke:

" _Sesshoumaru-sama, I did not expect you here. Is there anything you need?"_

" _No. I was just passing."_  Sesshoumaru approached them closer.  _"Tadao, did you already provide the human with food?"_  Yuutsuki got annoyed. The human? She had thought that they got a bit closer to each other lately. She frowned in disbelief and fixed the indignant, dark eyes at the dog demon.

" _Yes, of course. I was going to introduce her to your mother soon."_

" _Human? Did you forget I have a name?"_  Tadao chuckled and Sesshoumaru lifted up his eyebrow as Yuutsuki's husky voice broke out.

" _I wonder if you would be glad to be described as the demon."_  The girl continued, irritated.

" _It would be a sign of weakness for lord Sesshoumaru to directly address a human at all. Outside of the castle, nobody cares, but in here it would be greatly criticized. To lord Sesshoumaru or his mother you will speak through me only. You are in a demon castle, consider it an honour and play by the rules set by the owners."_

Tadao's words completely shocked her. She grabbed Sesshoumaru's sleeve and asked:

" _Unfair, you are never unfair Sesshoumaru...Why would you bring me in here then?"_

" _Tadao, keep it between us."_

" _I wouldn't dare to do otherwise."_ Tadao moved away, but it was no secret he could hear everything.

Sesshoumaru directed his raged eyes at her. At first she got scared and withdrew her hand immediately, but later she understood. He did not like this either. Lowering his posture, he brought his face to her level and with curt words spoke:

" _This is the only place to entirely guarantee your safety, we have talked about this previously. I understand your point of view, but understand mine."_  He spoke through his teeth. Yuutsuki looked away, discouraged by his unusual tone.  _"Some things must be sacrificed in order to attain others. I apologize for not telling you earlier. Once Oka's issue is solved I will take you back to Inuyasha myself, I promise. Tadao is a great trainer, it won't be long until you learn what you need to know."_ Tadao's eyes widened, he had never heard his lord promising anything to anyone, especially not to a human.

Sesshoumaru lifted up the girl's chin, forcing her to look at him directly.  _"Understood?"_  Yuutsuki unwillingly nodded yes. He patted her head once, turned and walked away.

The girl did not say anything to Tadao, just allowed him to guide her to take a bath. She was given a beautiful red kimono, patterned with faded-yellow leaves, which suited her figure astoundingly well.

She let her freshly washed hair dry in the cold wind of autumn evening, sightseeing the garden around Tadao's hot springs. Yuutsuki was cognizant that the demon had been observing her throughout the whole time and it came as no surprise to her when he approached after a while.

The demon smiled, somewhat lifting up her spirits. She smiled back and bowed.

" _Thank you, this kimono is lovely."_

" _Nothing compared to your beauty. Are you ready to meet the lady of the house?"_

She shrugged her shoulders.  _"Might as well."_

" _Would you like to stroll before that?"_  Yuutsuki threw him a questioning look.

" _I can either teleport us there or we can walk. I leave the decision up to you."_

" _We are going to walk then."_

First minutes they walked in silence, until Yuutsuki asked:

" _What kind of demon are you?"_ Seeming amused, he laughed.

" _Let's make it more interesting. Let's make a deal. If you guess I will fulfil one request of yours and if you don't you will fulfil a request of mine."_

" _What requests would that be?"_

" _Hmm, I don't know, it can be something funny or mean, what would you like me to do if you guess? Dance? Jump around? Scream something out loud?"_  Tadao spun around hilariously and out of nothing took out a red rose from behind of his back and put it in Yuutsuki's hair.

" _If I win I want you to make it possible for me to talk to Sesshoumaru again."_ He swayed his head and finally nodded.

" _Dangerous, but possible. But if you do not guess you will promise me you will not seek opportunities to talk to him in here."_

Yuutsuki looked at his abruptly, he was not teasing, his eyes were stern.

" _Fine. But you have to give me three clues."_

Tadao smiled widely and closed his eyes in muse.

" _I shall give you three clues at once then. In my demon form I have four paws, a tail and fangs."_

" _Dog demon!"_  Yuutsuki could not imagine any other species. For the first time she felt his demon aura, as he opened his eyes, which were bloody red now. His power was overwhelming, as if trying to suffocate her with demon energy. In a blink of an eye he approached her and whispered to her ear:

" _Wolf. I am a wolf demon from the northern lands. I pledged my loyalty to the western lands, because I disagree with the leader of the north. Will you promise then?"_

" _Prove it first…"_  The girl felt really uncomfortable, almost terrified due to her loss. She did not expect to be wrong.

" _As I thought, you will not give up without a fight."_ He casually smiled and suddenly his energy burst, creating a red aura around him and he shape shifted, turning into a gigantic, golden wolf with extended fur. Yuutsuki watched him in agape, unable to say anything. His demon form was magnificent. He returned to his human form and laughed cheerfully.

" _So how will it be?"_

" _I promise then."_  His smile disappeared as he noticed her saddened eyes hiding under the dark eyelashes.

The rest of the walk passed in silence. When they got to the place, they were informed of Sesshoumaru's mother urgent leave and the fact that her return was expected only in a few days. Tadao brought her back to her room, where a hot supper was waiting for her. Meanwhile eating, he was entertaining her with jokes and telling anecdotes. When he left her alone, she did not change, did not relax. She hid her face in her hands and began to cry. Her heart almost stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning herself, she gave a short cry of shock. The girl saw Sesshoumaru looking at her intensely with concern in his eyes. She quickly wiped her tears and straightened her pose. He pretended he had not seen anything.

" _You should knock before coming in_." Her voice sounded funny, for her nose was stuck due to crying.

" _As a matter of fact I did not come in, I teleported. It would be highly unsuitable for me to visit you in the evening through the main door."_  He stopped for a second  _"Show me your wound."_  Sesshoumaru swiftly pushed the silk material, carefully not to bear too much of skin. He heard Yuutsuki's heart racing and he found himself amused about it. The wound was recovering fast, however a deep scar would remain in here. The ugly lines the priestess had put in her flesh would need to be taken out soon.

" _Sesshoumaru…"_  He took out the flower Tadao had put in her hair, and threw it on the ground, knowing who had given it to her. The demon turned his back at her and took a deep breath.

The girl wanted to stretch out her hand and touch his arm, he seemed so distant, unreachable. Being unable to talk to him in public grieved her, wanting to know the situation a little bit more, she wished for a gesture from his side. The long silver hair, tightly tied up, swayed as he curtly spoke:

" _Yes?"_

" _Did you come here for any particular reason?"_

Sesshoumaru lifted his eyebrows, expecting different question.

" _You're a guest in here, I am merely checking if there is anything you need."_

" _Yet you are not supposed to talk to me."_

His lips tightened, but she could not see it.

" _No one tells me what I am supposed to do. There are many vicious, jealous members of this place that could hurt you for flaunting around me."_

Yuutsuki picked up the rose from the floor and placed it on the table. He placed a heavy glare on her.

" _Does this rule apply to you only? Won't they be angry at me anyway, since your main general is babysitting a human?"_ The demon circled her with slow steps, watching her carefully. Yuutsuki felt like she was drowning in his mesmerising look. He finally stopped and answered:

" _Tadao is doing it at my behest, they might be angry but would not dare to defy it. You are curious why they would be so angry? For a simple reason, they cannot speak to me either. Only generals can."_

" _I understand."_  There was nothing else she could say about this issue. Causing more troubles was something she urged to avoid.  _"I shall not speak to you in public, I will lay low, as you asked. Thank you for clarifying this to me."_

He nodded, clearly satisfied with her promise.  _"Tomorrow I order someone qualified to come and take out the lines in your wound."_

Yuutsuki's humour worsened. It would be extremely painful, the wound would need to be reopened, but the procedure was extremely necessary.

" _I will send the best healer we have, who will be punished for every minute of pain you endure."_

She wagged her hands in denial, trying to hide her worried expression behind a smile.  _"I am mentally prepared for it, no need to punish anyone."_

" _Do you need a maid? To help you get dressed, washed?"_

" _No…"_  Yuutsuki laughed genuinely.  _"Not at all, thank you."_

" _Fine then. I shall leave now."_ Sesshoumaru sighted and focused his eyes at her once more and ventured several steps towards the doors.  _"This kimono favours you."_

Encouraged by his compliment, she grabbed his arms, stopping him from teleporting.

" _Sesshoumaru?"_ Yuutsuki did not look at him directly, without letting him go, as if afraid he would disappear she continued, abashed:

" _Will you come to talk to me again?"_  Tension in her voice stopped him from answering immediately. The demon turned and Yuutsuki let go of his sleeve. Seeing the ashamed face made him smirk slightly, however deep inside he got scared. A human had managed to make the great lord Sesshoumaru scared of his feelings. He cared about her, not as a responsibility, but almost like an essential that obligatorily had to be satisfied. Shielding her from discomfort and sorrow, caring about her wellbeing seemed obvious. Without her around, his mind was demanding thinking about the human girl. Almost as if he was obsessed. Yuutsuki was still too ashamed to look at his face, but as well impatient to hear the answer. She realized she had been too reliant on him, making him mend every mistake of hers.

" _Do you wish for it?"_  His quiet words made her heart beat a little bit faster, she nodded vigorously.

Sesshoumaru urged to wrap his arm around her waist and press her fragile self to his chest. Refraining himself, he squeezed his fists, yet again allowing his claws to penetrate through his skin.

" _I shall then. I will check on you tomorrow."_  Pleased, she looked at him just to see that his face wore a grim expression and the golden eyes peeved. Before Yuutsuki managed to open her mouth, he disappeared, teleported himself out of the place, leaving her with widely spreading doubts.

/

" _All done. Since you are a human, a scar will form."_

" _Thank you very much."_

The healer left the room and Yuutsuki rolled her eyes. She was over cautious in every move she had done. Sesshoumaru's threat worked well, the procedure had been painless.

The girl refined her clothing and exited the room to greet Tadao, who had been waiting outside the whole time.

" _How did it go? Nao is an expert."_  Tadao's blue kimono with golden sewing contrasted with his blond hair, causing a pleasant visual effect.

" _Just as expected of an expert then. Painless."_  The demon chuckled and called her closer with a gesture.

" _Good. Today I will show you a few tricks of spiritual control. Let's take a walk."_

Walking shoulder to shoulder through a long corridor, they chitchatted.

" _You use spiritual powers?"_  Yuutsuki was sincerely surprised.

" _Well, basically I am quite skilled. Not many could battle me."_  Amused, he tilted his head to the side, allowing his hair to sway repeatedly.  _"The one I will mark in the future should feel quite safe and proud."_

" _The one you will mark?"_  The girl had no idea what he was talking about.

Tadao wrapped her curl around his finger, playing with it.

" _You do not know? When a male demon chooses a female, he marks her. It is a promise of claiming."_

" _No, I have no idea about it."_

The demon brightened, clearly happy to be the one informing her about it.

" _So I shall tell you. Demons have really big sense of belonging. We are not like humans, changing mates from feast to feast. For example, once a demon claims his mate, they share life spam. If I were to mark you, and later claim you, you would live as long as me."_

" _Hm, so I see. What is the difference between marking and claiming?"_  Yuutsuki asked curiously.

" _You want to know, don't you. Marking is actually quite palpable. It is usually a venomous bite that leaves a permanent sign. Claiming…"_  He laughed.  _"The couple shares few gulps of each other's blood and poisons. Later they have an intimate night together. When that happens, the female shares the male's life spam and becomes his real mate. Sometimes demons mark females when they are still infants or children, like lord Sesshoumaru did to the deceased Rin."_

Yuutsuki stopped, shocked.

" _Yes."_  Tadao nodded understandably.  _"It came as a jolt to everyone, I don't think that the child understood it herself. On the other hand I think that lord Sesshoumaru wanted to make sure no one would take her away. Once marked, no other demon or human could claim her. His poison would kill the potential mate."_

He grabbed her arm and pulled slightly, to continue walking. When they hands met, she did not withdraw hers, allowing him to be held.

" _Even though everyone commiserated with lord Sesshoumaru, many of us sighted with relief when she died. A wild, loud girl was of no match to be his mate."_  Noticing her idleness, he swiftly changed the topic.

" _If you want to demand your right as the Ren responsible of taking care of the promise, I will be more than glad to recommend myself."_  His tone was humorous, however his eyes were serious.

" _What do you mean?"_ Yuutsuki was baffled one more time.

" _According to the promise, if you claim your right, your child, presuming it would be a female and preferably half demon, could become lord Sesshoumaru's mate."_

" _Cease this."_  Sesshoumaru's voice broke out of nowhere, the grudge in it caused Yuutsuki to shiver. Suddenly he was standing just next to them. Tadao seemed to completely omit his words and continued. Not sure how to face him after what she had heard, Yuutsuki squeezed Tadao's hand stronger, her dark eyes struggled to avoid the demon lord's face.

" _What I meant before is that I would be more than glad to become your mate."_

" _Tadao!"_  Sesshoumaru growled as the jocund voice kept speaking.  _"Being visibly fond of your beauty, lord Sesshoumaru would surely love your daughter."_

" _You went overboard."_ These raw words caused no effect to Tadao. He was casually holding Yuutsuki's hand, facing the enraged lord.

" _I don't think so, lord Sesshoumaru. Why would I not want a girl I liked so much since the first moment I saw her? Be aware, you never know when I persuade her to take my mark. I can be really convincing."_ He provocatively pointed at their joint hands.

Sesshoumaru growled louder, evidently refraining himself from attacking the wolf demon. Another demon entered the corridor and Tadao skilfully used the opportunity to leave.

" _Now if you excuse us, we have training to do."_  He pulled Yuutsuki's hand to follow him.

" _Oh lord Sesshoumaru, I was looking for you. There is an issue…"_

" _Leave me alone."_  Through her shoulder she observed the demon lord receding.

Already alone, in the place of yesterday's training Yuutsuki started conversation.

" _About what you said…"_  Her unsure voice caused him to smile, encouraging her to speak.

" _If you have any questions, ask, but do not worry, I do not want any answer. It was just a thing for you to keep in mind."_  He sat down under an apple tree.  _"I am sorry, but I do not feel like training you right now. Mind keeping me company?"_  The girl sat down next to him, not sure what to think about what had just happened.

" _Won't you have troubles?"_

" _Many people bring troubles upon themselves telling the truth. Does it mean that we should lie?"_  He polished an apple and passed it to her.

" _I thought he would attack you."_  Yuutsuki said, looking at the fruit. Tadao swept hair from her cheeks.  _"Were you worried?"_  She nodded.  _"I am not an easy opponent. Not even lord Sesshoumaru could be unharmed after fighting me."_

The girl felt guilty, she did not want to be a reason of conflicts.

" _Was all you said true?"_

He sighted, fixing his eyes at two demons training.

" _Yes, each and every word. I do not want to pry, but I want you to know that there are many, many demons in here with their eyes at you and lord Sesshoumaru. Seeing a relationship would greatly upset them, putting his position and your safety on stake."_  Yuutsuki nervously bit her lip.

" _We… I don't have anything even close to relationship with him…"_

" _I know."_  He smiled.  _"That is why he got so disturbed with my words. He realizes it all, the risks, chances… And probably he as well noticed his attraction to you. Every man would be drawn to you, so no wonder he fell for you too. You are just a really appealing woman."_

She was completely perplexed. Following his example, she focused at nearby demons' fight. More spectators gathered to watch the duel.

" _They are observing each move of yours, trying to judge for themselves if the spreading rumours are true."_  The demon put his arms up in the air and stretched like a lazy cat.  _"I shall give them one reason less to believe it."_  Yuutsuki's face turned to him and he unexpectedly grabbed her chin, sealing her lips with a kiss which she interrupted immediately, pushing him away.

" _Tadao!"_ She noticed several pairs of curious eyes looking.

" _I am sorry…"_  He scratched his head in nonplus.  _"Forgive me. Like this they suspect you less."_

Yuutsuki unwillingly smirked. His strong presence was generating an aura of shelter and balminess. The girl supported her head on his brawny shoulder and pondered about Sesshoumaru.

She had spent the whole day on walking with Tadao, laughing with his jokes and exploring the outskirts of the mansion.

Zealously waiting for Sesshoumaru to bear out his promise and appear in her room again, she kept awake for a really long time. Finally realizing he would not be coming, she threw herself on the bed, trying to calm down her fidgety thoughts. She blew off the candles and closed her eyes, dozing off for a bit. Feeling something off about the atmosphere, she abruptly sat up and looked around. In the darkness she saw a pair of shiny, golden eyes observing her.

" _Sesshoumaru, you totally scared me…"_ The girl whispered, hoping he would get closer. He did not speak nor move though. She lit the candles, which allowed her to see him properly. Yuutsuki covered her mouth in shock as she noticed a big blood stain on his left shoulder.

" _What happened?!"_ She approached him.

" _As I promised, I came to check on you. Now I shall go to rest."_  His voice was weary, dull.

" _Tadao…Did you fight him?"_ Yuutsuki grabbed his collar. She got completely surprised when he bent and touched his forehead with hers, almost completely closing the gap between their lips.

" _Sesshoumaru?"_  The demon's exhaust had frightened her, she placed her hands on his face. The look his eyes were emanating made her forget about everything else. Sesshoumaru grabbed her greedily. The girl thought he would kiss her, and she would undoubtedly allow him, but he merely whispered:

" _Next time we will talk more. Goodnight Yuutsuki_."

He disappeared, leaving several drops of blood on the floor and a feeling of incompleteness in her heart. The girl got quickly dressed and directed herself to Tadao's room, being worried about his state. Knocking on his partly opened door she got no answer, so she decided to come in anyway, hearing a loud, heavy panting.

" _Tadao, are you here?"_

" _That is not the best time, pretty."_  He sounded drained. Yuutsuki saw him sitting on the bed, healing his stomach, chest and hands stained with blood.  _"I am glad that you visited me. Let me focus though, I must heal myself."_  He spat out a bit of blood.

She put her hands on his wound, trying to replicate what Kagome had thought her.

" _You are a real Ren, quite hopeless with spiritual powers."_  He laughed and just afterwards coughed. Yuutsuki got nauseous with the blood smell.

" _You are really silly, fighting him. That wound is dangerous."_  Her lips were shaking, she panicked for his healing powers were dropping, and he seemed to be losing consciousness.

" _Tadao! No, please…Dammit you're useless!"_  She admonished herself.  _"Unusable!"_  Feeling a spike around the ring, she focused more.  _"Please, work, please…"_ Suddenly a big source of green, mellow light came out of her hands. She placed them on the wound, staining her hands with his warm blood. After several minutes the bleeding stopped. The girl heard steps and saw the healer, Nao rushing in.

" _I felt strong healing powers, oh, let me help you!"_

She knelt next to her and unleashed the healing powers.

" _What happened?"_

Yuutsuki's lips trembled.  _"I am not sure… Will he be fine?"_

Nao looked at her suspiciously.  _"His life is not in danger. His recovering powers were always poor. I did not know you heal, you lack technique, but the flow is good."_

The girl exhaled the air with relief.  _"It is my first time producing such heals. I though he was mortally wounded…Everything was in blood…"_

" _Fine…"_ Nao said surprised.  _"I can take care of it myself, go back and calm down. Tomorrow he will be fine."_

" _Thank you, pretty."_  Tadao spoke with closed eyes.  _"Sorry to scare you."_

Yuutsuki bowed in appreciation and run out from the room, trying to sense Sesshoumaru. Her attempts ended up in vain, she could not feel his presence. Returning to her room, she could not help worrying about Sesshoumaru's state. A crazy idea came to her head. Sesshoumaru had really strong senses, maybe smelling her blood would lure him out. Not thinking twice, she tightly grabbed the Rens' sword with her left hand and pulled it strongly with the right one, creating a deep wound on her palm. Tadao's blood mixed with her own, dripping on the bed. The adrenaline rush nullified the pain, making her feel a stinging only. Few moments passed and no one appeared. Resigned, the girl wrapped a cloth around her hand. Several tears fell down her cheeks as she lied down and closed her eyes in helplessness. She just wanted to know Sesshoumaru was fine.

The door of her room opened and she noticed a bent posture entering the room. Tadao. He was holding his stomach, breathing heavily. The demon dropped next to her, his golden hair mixed with hers.

" _Can you tell me why did you fight?"_ Yuutsuki's words made his eyes glow, he grabbed her injured palm and pressed it against his chest.

" _There are some things a woman should not ask."_  The girl felt his warm breath on her face.  _"I ended up much worse than him and I remained alive, so do not worry about him anymore."_

He pulled her closed and hugged, hiding his face in her hair. Yuutsuki did not move, keeping in mind his wound, too scared to cause him any additional pain.

" _Do not hurt yourself further. He will not come."_  He kissed her cut and left the room without saying anything else.

The girl did not sleep that night.


	14. Chapter 14

He knew Yuutsuki was not there, but he came in anyway. The curtains were still closed, covering the room from the morning sun. Sesshoumaru's hand squeezed the bed's sheet. The smell of her blood burnt his nostrils, making him recall her lethal state from before. The wrath from yesterday remained, still questioning what had tempted Tadao to reveal Rin's marking to Yuutsuki. Clear to each other, common interest in Yuutsuki had made him further realize the importance of the young Ren to his heart. Sesshoumaru had honestly tried to burry that branch of unexplained interest deep in cold ground of oblivion, but the girl had made it bloom into a deep-rooted tree, which was withering without her presence, draining out his common sense. The tree needed nourishment, he urged to see her.

" _You've completely forgotten how I've taught you."_  Tadao's sudden appearance scared her. Disregarding her tiredness, she had decided to fatigue herself further in training, solitude had provoked many unrequired reflections and thoughts. He embraced from her back, grabbing the sword along with her and moving her arms in a proper way.

" _How are you?"_  Yuutsuki almost whispered, as she let go of the sword and lifted up her head to see his face. The teary eyes blurrily saw the usual smile and it posed more than enough for the answer.  _"I am glad then."_

Tadao passed his large hand on her cheek, he hoped that the small caress would meliorate her poor mood, but the girl only seemed to deeper immerse in sour state. Only one way of fending off that awkward situation came cross his mind.

" _Let's train."_

Without a single word she agreed, willingly grabbing her weapon, eager to have something to distract her. Yuutsuki's hand injury partly disabled her movements, deteriorating the sword handling. Tadao was a strict mentor, and as a result that day she managed to lock the power of the sword in her arm, causing it to move tremendously fast and powerfully hit the target with no misses.

" _Brilliant, I have never expected you to do this today_!" He screamed out, having serious difficulties shielding all hits with one arm.  _"But if I break my promise of using only this arm…"_  Unexpectedly she felt a strong push that overwhelmed her, crushing her to the ground. His sword pierced just next to her neck.  _"You lose. So you have still a lot to practice. I see that you are too tired. Do you remember how to release?"_

" _Yes."_  Yuutsuki focused her spiritual powers on cutting the source of sword's flow, compelling the demon energy to safely return to the sword.

" _Well done."_  Tadao helped her to raise up, holding her hand for significantly longer than required.

" _Next time I will teach you more tricks, so no one can hurt you."_ He blinked his eye and reached his hand to wisps of her hair to take out several leaves that had gotten suck in it previously.

" _You are being a very good instructor, well done to you too."_

" _Now go and rest."_

Taking a soothing bath had completely relaxed her muscles, bringing an overall happy feeling. Already in the room, she discovered another gorgeous kimono had been given to her. This time it was sakura pink with white birds around the bottom of sleeves. She braided her hair and lied down in order to sleep. Unable to do so, she decided to get dressed, meanwhile began to think.

Tarou had said that the western lord had treated Rin almost like a daughter, not a future lover. She was afraid to touch that topic around Sesshoumaru, especially that he was properly aware of her cognizance. Theoretically the fact that he had wished Rin to be his wife shouldn't be so noteworthy anymore, for the child had passed away, asking or even mentioning it would be an inappropriate meddlesomeness in Sesshoumaru's business. Yuutsuki could not find words for the kind of feeling she had experienced upon hearing it. She had greedily estimated her own position unduly significant, creating perky hopes which had been gustily riven due to Tadao's words. Tadao…She knew the demon only for several days, but he was always able to put a smile on her face, somewhat she seemed to begin caring about him. The quandary did not allow her to sleep.

Sesshoumaru seemed even more inaccessible than ever, awaking a longing feeling.

" _Sesshoumaru…"_  She whispered to herself, while securing the kimono's sash. The girl hissed in pain, forgetting about her wound and reopened it by accident.

" _Silly me."_  Yuutsuki placed the Rens' sword behind the sash and exited the room. The mansion appeared empty, no noise could be heard and no movement could be seen. Appearances. She felt many presences around, their assorted, tremendous aura was spreading forcefully, deluding in the air. She stopped abruptly, sensing Sesshoumaru. He was drawing closer. Panicked, she hastily returned to her room and supported her back on the door. What was she to say to him? What would he say to her? Last time they had been alone she had almost allowed him to kiss her, had wished for it. A day later had been informed about his urges to make Rin his wife and just afterwards had been kissed by Tadao. Yuutsuki's mind was clouded and even though she missed him, meeting him would only cause more muddle.

He teleported just in front of her, an image of her panting chest, pink cheeks and widened eyes welcomed him, that view instantly improved his wretched mood, caused by the punishments needed to be delivered.

The demon was in training clothing, several spurts of blood on it, the other Rens sword still dripping blood, hanging attached to his hip. Tightly zipped, the silver hair was fusing with his garments.

His lowered lip had caught her attention, it was swollen, as if someone had just punched him. He greeted her, nodding elegantly. She bent lowly and felt Sesshoumaru grabbing her injured hand.

" _Foolish."_  Opposite to his words, he patted her head, as if she had deserved a hasty reward. " _I came to see you in the morning. You weren't here."_ His tone was smooth and warm, hard to believe he had just come back from a battle. Yuutsuki looked at him apologetically, not knowing what to say. He closed his eyes as she touched his lip.

" _I am sorry…"_  Recognizing what she had done, she directed her ashamed eyes on the ground.

" _What Tadao has said about Rin is true. I have marked her_." The girl's gaze blurred and a cold shiver went through her spine. So the conversation she had been afraid of had started.

" _Do not allow others to dampen your own sense of purpose. There is no right choices, only alternative costs."_  Yuutsuki felt a need to say something, but her mouth as if sealed, did not want to open. His face had the scary, sad expression, which she wanted to fend off immediately. She swallowed heavily as the golden eyes pierced her intensely, not giving a chance to look away. Sesshoumaru grasped her shoulder, shaking it a bit. Several tears fell from her eyes, not being able to withstand the urge, she placed her head on his chest, seeking recovery. The closeness allayed her sadness, no negative reactions from his side awoke hopes again. That emotional roller-coaster had been exhausting her. Sesshoumaru kept constantly drawing her closer to his heart in order to leave behind, alone again.

" _Why aren't you afraid?"_  The golden glare slowly changed to reddish brown.  _"Your face presses just next to blood stains of ones I have just killed, with the same hands that are touching you. My poison could melt you down in an instant, you wouldn't even know you are dying."_

She looked at her companion's face, with a sour expression he jerked her wrists and pushed against the wall, immobilizing her.

" _You are no ignorant, Yuutsuki. I am aware of that, that you are not afraid. Your temerity makes you often forget though, how insignificant your human existence is to demons, I think that allows you to trust me and treat me normally. You are quite oblivious about things, don't fully realize the human – demon division, and because of that you manage to be bolder than many in here, you tend to be more hazardous in your actions than a normal human from this time would."_

Sesshoumaru weakened his grip, pulled her closely to him and whispered straight to her ear:

" _There are no dreams without darkness."_

" _Only pathetic ones believe the sky is always blue."_  Having been amused by her reply, Sesshoumaru smirked airy, allowing his fingers deepen in her dark hair, regaining full control over the boiling demon blood in him. Yuutsuki's presence allowed him to forget about time flow, making his spirit blow, urging for more. Maybe it was as the tongues had been wagging, she indeed was a witch enchanting everyone around. He might no longer be capable of being the western lord for he had stopped thinking about any devoirs around her. Choosing to visibly express his whims and urges towards her would only effect in ubiquitous condemnation resulting in losing his authority, which was negligible compared to what they could do to Yuutsuki, humiliate and rape her off her dignity. By condemning his feelings, refraining from obvious affections, in a way, he was granting her safety. Sesshoumaru was displeased to see that his lack of public interest was taken as abandoning by Yuutsuki, making her prone to Tadao's demonstrable efforts.

The girl accepted his caress, closing her eyes. It was one of the seldom times he actually smiled. He stopped, shifting his previous tone to casual and spoke:

" _There is an invitee staying in the mansion tonight, she is broadly known for her hatred for humans. Wanting to elude clashes for I have a significant, crucial negotiation to transact, I would have you either stay in your room or not parade your backgrounds so avidly like you usually do."_

" _I understand."_

The golden eyes crinkled slightly, trying to read reasons behind her sudden, unconditional obedience. The girl seemed to be pondering about something, her stare was somewhat inattentive.

" _What appears to be a problem?"_

Yuutsuki tentatively placed her look at his swollen lip, she opened her mouth, just to close it afterwards and open again to say with audible uncertainty.

" _It is uncomfortable to be the cause of a conflict between you and Tadao. I hope you are not going to treat him differently because of me."_

" _A fight?"_  His voice sounded genuinely astonished.  _"You might be misunderstanding. What exactly did he tell you?"_

" _That a woman should not ask about certain things."_

" _That bastard. Misleading you on purpose."_  Sesshoumaru turned his eyes in irritation.  _"There is no conflict, moreover, yesterday we fought together. His injury was an act of fearlessness, shielding a nearly dying comrade from a lethal blow."_  He observed the face in front of him tinting red, she could not hide awkwardness, too ashamed to look him in the eyes. The reaction somewhat softened his mood, but as well alerted of her sympathy for Tadao.

" _Are you fond of Tadao?"_  That simple question commoved Yuutsuki and her heart skipped a beat, rising up her blood flow. Nervously biting her lip, she looked away, creating more doubt in Sesshoumaru's head. Her quietness annoyed him, being impatient for an answer, he would not accept silence.

" _Respond."_  The distress enlarged as he reduced the distance between them to barely couple of centimetres.  _"Let me enquire inversely. Who do you favour more?"_

" _Sesshoumaru…"_  There was a shy plea in her voice, but he did not intend to remit.  _"It is not like this."_

" _Demystify then."_  His virtually testable, demon energy was swirling around her, evidently mirroring his upset state. He was supposed not to reveal his presence, for no one to know he had been there, but the frustration had made him forget about the expected behaviours.

" _I have heard rumours of you two kissing in front of everyone. Is it that kind of fond you are of him?"_  The voice seemed icier than ever as he held a chilling glare towards her.

" _No… He did kiss me, but I did not wish for it. I was taken by surprise."_

" _And you shall be once again."_

He angrily pulled her against him, seeing her dark eyes widen and aggressively kissed her faintly open lips.

The girl tried to push him away, but had no chances creating any distance between them, the strong arms were firmly wrapped around her fragile body. Finally giving in, she returned the kiss, awaking lust in the demon's blood. He felt his hands involuntarily flex, his heartbeat quickening and he closed his eyes from the sheer feeling he was having, allowing his lips quickly move towards her neck, brushing against her ear lobes.

" _Sesshoumaru…"_

He stopped her from talking with another kiss, not allowing her to continue.

" _Compare your experiences and finally answer my question. Who are you fond of more?"_

" _What exactly do you seek? What exactly do you want to hear?"_  Not in the least he had expected her to change the subject, his mind was focused on her lips, on the raising bound between them, and hence the question had baffled him completely.

" _What happens once I say I feel attached to you, fond of you, that the moment I saw your words carved on the sword, I abandoned and disregarded everything, just because this…"_  Her lowered head and soft voice ensured him of the significance of her speech. Placing a fist on her chest, she continued speaking. The salty smell of human tears entered his nostrils.  _"This did not allow me to do otherwise? As a matter of fact, my grandma has passed away, the pressure of my duty has died along with her. I have been strongly persuaded to stay, never come back, but I am here again, and fulfilling my duty as a Ren isn't the main factor of my return. What happens then, Sesshoumaru?"_  Her words had brought him a kind of contentment, giving him a small glimpse of her insight, yet felt that she had engaged herself dangerously and too blindly. It was not hard to notice that she had lost the control over feelings. His blood stained garments were held by her shaking hands, she could not muffle the extending sobs. The brown hair glued to her wet face. Sesshoumaru's gaze met hers, and she comprehended immediately, he would not answer.

" _I need to greet the guest."_  Feeling completely bemused, Yuutsuki nodded, politely folding her hands together and bowing.

The demon wanted to say something, not to leave her completely dejected, but finally left without saying a word more. Sesshoumaru knew that had been a ruthless decision, he should have suitably replied her, nevertheless he could not be himself and tell untruth straight to her face, finding it dishonouring, saying the actuality out loud wasn't something he was prepared for.

With a blank expression, Yuutsuki fell on her knees, focusing her eyes on the ground. She was restrained, unable to fully breathe. Sesshoumaru was keeping her in there as a puppet, a thing to get amused over, the humiliation was too heavy to handle, but honestly, what else was to be expected.

The reason of his silence however, was neither so petty nor harsh. Yuutsuki had been bringing troubles over herself and acting recklessly, wholeheartedly due to her feelings towards him. Sesshoumaru did not want her endangered because of such a thing. Trying to find a reasonable solution was not as easy as he had previously thought, he needed time to grasp the least harmful resolve, beneficial for both of them.

The afternoon sun hung in the pinkish sky. Albeit sunny, the air was not warm, on the contrary, it pierced with cold. Yuutsuki felt chilly, she jumped several times, making her blood flow faster. She ventured several steps towards the entrance gate, wondering if simply running away was obtainable.

She passed the fence, trying to behave as casually as she could. Even if for a bit, she really wanted to leave the demon mansion. No one paid attention, no one stopped her from leaving the place, which was frankly startling. She took a path leading to the forest, walking for around thirty minutes, enjoying the scenery. Red, yellow and green leaves were falling from every tree, creating a unique carpet on the ground. After strolling for quite a bit, she caught up to an elderly monk. He noticed her immediately, enduing her with a sympathetic look.

" _Are you going to the village as well? Mind helping an old man carrying his bag? I have been travelling all day just to get to that festival tonight, but I will go no further if I have to carry this. I don't want to stay resting in here, I heard it is demons' territory."_

Yuutsuki peered at his luggage, which did not seem extremely heavy. Noticing her glare, he quickly added:

" _My dear it's not far, ten minutes and we are there. I will treat you to a sweet potato for your kindness."_

The girl smiled and bowed.

" _I will be more than glad to help you."_  She picked up his bag and they slowly moved forward.

Not much time passed until they reached the village. Loud sounds of drums and flutes were filling the place with an overall happy atmosphere, the smells of freshly cooked meals came around.

The old monk, as previously promised, treated her to a sweet potato, making it the best one she had had in her life. The evening arrived, the villagers lit lanterns and everyone began to dance. Someone's hand grabbed her and dragged her among the people. Yuutsuki danced, spun around and kept on laughing. Somebody else treated her to a cup of sake, later another one and another one. The alcohol quickly spread in her veins, making her sense of perception slightly twisted. She danced with more people, drank more and laughed more. Her body felt free and mind clouded, not able to focus on a thing. She enjoyed it thoroughly, until she noticed a familiar face in the crowd. Following with her muzzy sight, she noticed no one else but Tadao. He ventured straight towards her, slowly, taking his time, not calling attention. He grabbed the girl's wrist, bent over and quietly asked:

" _Why did you endanger yourself? Look at yourself, you are drunk, you are giving men the freedom to leer at you."_  He rearranged her garments angrily.  _"How did you expect to return? You are barely standing_. _"_  She shrugged her shoulders, laughing. At that point she was unduly incapable of concentrating on his words.

" _Lord Sesshoumaru is waiting for you just outside of the village. Yuutsuki!"_

Despite her efforts, he dragged her out of the village, straight in front of furious Sesshoumaru, who comprehended her befuddled state immediately. He approached her rapidly, wondering about the reason why the girl had brought herself to that state.

The bleary glare slowly followed his arm lifting up and before she knew it, he had slapped her cheek with the back of his hand. The three of them stood noiselessly and only the notorious cricket sounds were audible over the festival music. Yuutsuki cupped the aching cheek, her scared, dark eyes looked questioningly at the demon lord.

" _You will not do this again."_  Even with her fear, the voice coming out of her dread clutched throat was reasonably proud.  _"You will not dare to do this again!"_ Brimming with fresh tears, the girl's eyes locked on his.

" _You are being abusive towards lord Sesshoumaru, Yuutsuki. I will allow no more."_ Tadao's expression was strangely angry, his voice barely above whisper. Such state of his was unknown to her yet. Understanding her defeat, she said quietly.

" _Either take me home or allow me to go."_

" _Cowardly brat, insolent, thoughtless masochist."_

She could not stop tears of powerlessness, not moving an inch, as if stoned, still with her face tilted to one side from the hit.

" _I have asked you not to scar yourself anymore, yet, regardless of my efforts you enjoy it! Do you realize the amount of people after your head at this very moment? But the problem is not the people, but the engaged demons that are dearly salaried to take your life away! And what do you do? Intoxicate yourself publicly with strangers, making me lose my senses, making me deem that I have failed once again to protect a mere human life I wish to keep! I don't even want to see your face for time being."_

Sesshoumaru flinched, giving Tadao an expressive look. The girl as well sensed a foreign demon energy approaching.

" _Come out! I have no mood for games."_  The demon lord barked out, taking out his sword. Tadao grabbed Yuutsuki and disappeared into thin air, teleporting away from the place, where soon a fight would break out. He left her in the gate of the mansion, probably returning in order to help Sesshoumaru. Yuutsuki moved to her room, dragging feet throughout the whole way. Humiliated twice by the same man on the same day, she cried in her bed until dozed off in restless sleep.

The following day only worsened her already ruined mood. Tadao hardly spoke while training, his mind seemed to be in an absolutely diverse place, barely caring about their exercise. As expected, he abandoned her early, ordering her to train alone. As if not enough, she had briefly seen Sesshoumaru several times, passing by with a gorgeous demon female, both talking gleefully and trading smiles. He did not even grant her one glance, one mere look, as if she was inexistent, allowing her to feel like a petty creature creeping around his mighty territory. The unceasing sadness mixed with anger had drawn her to attempt to discharge the negative feelings in physical exhaust. Yuutsuki entered the young demons' training ground, asking cheerfully:

" _Good day boys, is there anyone feeling like training a bit with the human girl?"_

" _What of Tadao?"_  One of them asked cautiously.

" _He is busy and I cannot lose time."_

" _Fine then."_  The same demon stepped ahead.

" _Just remember, sword to sword combat, no demon abilities."_  The girl made sure he understood the conditions of their small skirmish.

" _Don't you worry. I will only use hands."_

Yuutsuki smirked and rushed towards him, feeling the ring's power granting her protection over the demon energy of the sword entering her body.

" _You might want to change your mind."_  She dashed forward, making him attack first. Sure she would be exposed for a hit, he appeared behind her, ready to strike. Yet she rapidly turned around and kicked his exposed ribs. The blow was not strong enough to knock him out, the demon energy hadn't settled properly yet, nevertheless it caused the spectators to shout in amazement, expecting a totally different turn of the events. Her opponent growled and with hands prepared to protect himself, circled around her slowly. Yuutsuki closed her eyes, focusing the demon energy only in her right arm. Feeling the incoming power, she comprehended she could subdue him easily, if she managed to keep her poise. More spectators gathered to observe the fight. He attacked, aiming for her legs, trying to ground her. Normally a person would take several steps back, but Yuutsuki dashed forward again, hitting his unprotected back with the dull part of the sword. Dull as it was, the demon screamed in pain, falling to the ground. The girl's advantage had apparently rubbed him the wrong way, for he had leaped towards her with a black fire in his hands. Yuutsuki realized she would not get a fair fight as the spectators cheered for him, encouraging him to strike her.

Narrowly avoiding his blow, she created more distance between them to gain on time. The demon had clearly decided to retrieve the advantage, even if by breaking the rules, especially after she had discredited him in front of his associates. Insanely fast, he rushed straight at her. Knowing she would not avoid that one, as he was really about to hit, the girl curled her posture, protecting the chest and swung the sword as fast as possible, meanwhile putting in it as much strength as she could. The black fire brushed Yuutsuki's shoulder, burning the cloth and a bit of skin, but she did not mind, for her opponent was lying down on the floor with a wound spurting blood on his thigh, caused by repetitive sword's swings. His suffering had brought a smirk on her face, granting her more self-assurance.

" _That's what you get for playing dirty. You lose!"_  She looked around, no one stepped forward, most of them looking in disbelief at the wounded demon.

" _What is wrong? Next one!"_  Sensing her blood yearning for more, she yelled again.

" _What is happening in here?"_  Sesshoumaru's icy voice came from behind.

The girl turned around and saw the demon lord with the beautiful female she had seen him with before. The female laughed in disbelief.

" _A human beat up your underling? You have to train them better Sesshoumaru..."_

" _Lord Sesshoumaru, lady Shizuka."_  A demon stepped out from the crowd and bowed.  _"I am general Yama. The human asked for help in training and as result, she has injured my man. I demand punishment."_

Yuutsuki's eyes tightened in anger.

" _Aren't you ashamed to lie to your lord? That is not what happened and we all know it. I have set the rules of the sparring before starting. Using his demon abilities was not allowed, yet he did, with a clear aim to seriously injure me. And you all, cheered for him. His wound is the result of his own decision, I just protected myself."_

Shizuka lifted her eyes in amazement, covering her mouth with her pale hand. She had never seen a human speaking to a highly positioned demon before in such outspoken way.

" _Let them deal with it Sesshoumaru, her blood reeks of humans."_  She grabbed his arm and tried to pull him away.

" _You must be some kind of genius, lady Shizuka, how else would my blood reek?"_

" _Yuutsuki!"_  Sesshoumaru growled loudly, trying to warn her, any more fuss and he would need to punish her.

The female demon ventured several steps towards Yuutsuki until their eyes weren't further apart than a few inches.

" _Or maybe I should deliver the punishment to you? Pathetic Ren. Parading with the sword and the ring, you are chocking with its power. Do you know I can kill you in an instant and no one will stop me?"_ The blacks of their eyes clashed, rising up the tension between them. Shizuka did not like a human looking straight at her, speaking to her. She wanted to melt down that pitiable existence right away.

Her thundering glare left Yuutsuki unfazed, she smiled and daringly stated:

" _You will not kill me."_

" _Why is that?"_  Shizuka asked mockingly.

" _There are several factors. For example, my blood reeks, so you will not want to stain that lovely kimono of yours."_  The girl answered in the same disdainful tone. Sesshoumaru unwillingly smirked, however immediately stopped upon hearing the next words.

" _Another one, you are not able to, lord Sesshoumaru will not allow you."_

Shizuka grasped Yuutsuki's throat and lifted her up, making her gasp for air. Sesshoumaru barely refrained himself from helping the human girl.

" _I think I didn't hear properly. You said something about me not being able to?"_  The demon threw her on the ground with a pleased expression. Yuutsuki rose immediately, more sensing, than seeing Shizuka approaching. She warded off the demon's hit with the sword, and managed to push her away. Sesshoumaru felt the amount of demon energy entering Yuutsuki's body, observed the girl's movement swiftness and how skilfully she carried out the sword's potential. The trainings had proved to be extremely fruitful. The moment Sesshoumaru had noticed a dangerous situation, he interrupted the fight by wrapping his poisonous whip around Shizuka, stopping her from laying a hit on Yuutsuki.

" _Sesshoumaru, what is the meaning of this? If not for you she would be dead."_  Shizuka hissed at him.

" _She is not to be killed. I am honour bound to guarantee that. She will receive the punishment. Yama!"_

" _Yes, my lord?"_

" _Twenty calf whips and two days in solitude without food. Whips are to be delivered by Tadao, in public, now. As for your man, a hundred whips on his back, delivered by Tadao as well. Not in public."_

" _Understood."_

" _And you Yama, twenty public whips for daringly lying in your man's favour."_

" _Yes."_

The demon lord and Shizuka left her alone among raged warriors. Yuutsuki could not believe Sesshoumaru's words. In her opinion he had decided to go so far as to injure her in order to keep his appearances.

" _The fact that you are out of demons' custodies doesn't mean they do not obligate you."_  A demon screamed out to her as another grabbed her and pushed to the ground.

" _I will take her, hands off!"_  Tadao broke through the crowd, unable to look at the girl's pale face. Him delivering the whips posed as an indirect punishment for failing at his duty given by lord Sesshoumaru.

" _No holding back Tadao, we will be all watching you carefully!"_  The realisation dawned at her, the punishment would really take place, feeling as if her blood stopped flowing, she grabbed Tadao's arm, unable to keep her balance. Her pride was about to be shattered in front of the whole mansion.


	15. Chapter 15

A small wooden podium had been prepared for the occasion, where a demon was awaiting Yuutsuki's appearance. Apparently he was the announcer of the punishment, visibly enjoying the role.

" _Ren Yuutsuki, twenty calf whips, Lord Sesshoumaru's order. General Tadao will deliver the punishment."_

The public gathered around the podium yelled and cheered as Tadao showed up with a large whip in his hands. The girl entered the podium. Her hands were placed in a hanging chain attached to a pole. She understood the purpose immediately, in case if she lost strength in her legs, the chains were to keep her standing. Tadao stood behind her, the hits would be delivered only on the back of the legs. She lifted her head, seeking Sesshoumaru and she noticed him straightaway, he was observing her with the indifferent expression not giving a hint of emotion away. Her kimono got cut, exposing her petite legs up to half of the thighs. Panting rapidly, her hands were shaking, she felt as if she was melting down out of shame and fear. A weird feeling of agony overwhelmed her when Tadao whispered:

" _Forgive me."_

There were many things she wanted to scream out at that moment, her fright, confusion and viciousness, nonetheless she just lowered her head, allowing the long hair to cover her face.

" _One…Two…Three…"_  The announcer shouted after three repetitive hits. The public was loudly conversing, since it was too apparent that Tadao was holding back. Frightened that the girl would receive hits from someone else, he started hitting truly. To everyone's astonishment Yuutsuki kept deadly silent. Each and every hit was opening a deep wound, the blood was dripping and splashing from the podium. An intense burning entered her veins, she had never experience such pain before.

In her eyes faces and figures of the demons were blurred out, she could not spot Sesshoumaru anymore. However she hoped, he could see her vicious expression and hatred in her eyes. When the announcer screamed out :  _"Fifteen!"_  She lost the balance, each and every hit felt stronger due to the already existent slashes. Sweat drops mixed with tears, in her mind she pleaded for the end, barely being able to breathe.

" _Twenty!"_

The community was unmistakeably not contented, Tadao slashed one more time, using much more strength. Yuutsuki was not prepared for that, being sure it had been the end of her nightmare, she whimpered, unable to keep the agony anymore. Her prolonged yelp pleased the public, almost everyone clapped their hands eagerly. No one expected Tadao to whip himself, very powerfully at that, but the bloodthirsty, cruel demons valued it, and expressed their impressions by shouting. The pain was paralyzing her body and mind. A moan escaped her lips as he released her wrists and grabbed her numb body, keeping it from falling down. She twitched and fainted in his arms.

Voices woke her up, she was closed in a cage placed in the ground. Not opening her eyes, she listened.

" _Did you see how Tadao massacred Yama? Lord Sesshoumaru did not specify the place of the whips, so he lashed him across the whole body."_

" _Yes, scary to think how the one convicted to a hundred looks like. Do you know that after all trials to make a negotiation with lady Shizuka it was lord Sesshoumaru declining the offer? She was demanding the human dead."_

" _Ah I see…So… you are the one watching her?"_

" _Temporarily, until Tadao comes back."_

They heard Yuutsuki move and hushed immediately, not revealing anything else anymore. The girl touched her legs and immediately regretted it. The pain was acute, nonetheless incomparable to the pain of her wounded heart. She promised herself to do everything to get out from Sesshoumaru's reach as soon as possible, disregarding her duty and feelings sounded attractive at that moment, anything was fine as long as it took her home. The boundless trust she had given to the demon lord became very limited, the clear fondness became clouded by rising resentment.

" _General Tadao!"_

" _Disappear…"_  His voice was husky, one could easily hear wrath in it. After a minute he spoke to her, without showing his face.

" _I have managed to shorten your time in this filthy cage. Tomorrow morning you are leaving it."_

Not getting any answer, he continued.  _"If I hadn't left, you wouldn't be punished. I do not know how to express my apology."_

" _Sesshoumaru is responsible. He put his whim and idiotic craving for maintaining appearances above my pride and safety. He went as far as injuring me. I am disappointed."_

" _Yuutsuki…"_  He did not understand the bitterness in her voice.  _"Lord Sesshoumaru did what was expected of him to do. The punishment was quite merciful, considering that you've caused a fight with his guest. If he did not punish you, the demons would go after you. Like this the guilt is forgiven, you should forgive as well. That is how it works in the demon society, consider it lucky that you are alive."_

" _What you are saying is that impairing my legs for days is an act of decency? Making you hit me in front of everyone is merciful? Causing me such pain is fine?"_  Tadao kept quiet, looking at his lord's face, he had been there throughout the whole time, listening to the girl's accusations with tightened fists. They both heard Yuutsuki's sobs, even though she was forcefully trying to hide them by muffling her mouth.

" _I can never forget it. First he declines my feelings, hits my face, proving that he does not understand my point of view and now shatters my pride and dignity. I just hope he is happy with the outcome, I hope my wounded body and soul met his expectations."_  Upon hearing that, Sesshoumaru left, making no noise. He did not believe his reasons to be wrong, the girl just didn't seem to understand them. Deciding to give her time to get over it, he travelled to the cage where the demon Yuutsuki had been training with was kept. He snapped his spine in an instant, leaving the guards stunned.

/

A strong burning woke her up abruptly, interrupting the pleasant dream she was having. The environment was not familiar to her, not recognizing the place, the girl tried to change her position.

" _Lie still, I am applying medicine."_  Nao's words startled her.

" _Where am I?"_  Yuutsuki barely recognized her own voice, which was husky and thicker than usual.

" _In your new room. It has access to hot springs."_

The girl endured the painful, laborious procedure in silence, being actually appreciative that someone was treating her injuries, helping her in recovery.

" _Thank you."_

" _Do not, if not for orders I would not be here. I think you deserved the punishment. Being a human, you cannot be so daring towards demons. Frankly speaking, you were lucky anyway. With Tadao delivering twenty whips, some demons were losing legs, I don't understand why he is treating you so specially. Same goes for lord Sesshoumaru. Normally you would be killed for such behaviour. They are both too lenient towards you."_

" _Thank you anyway."_  Nao said nothing, upon finishing she left the room.

The day dragged monotonously, the delivered food seemed tasteless, no one else but helpers had visited her. She tried not to think, but to concentrate on sleeping, struggling to avoid the physical and mental pain. Back in the cage, Yuutsuki had promised herself that she would not break. Sesshoumaru would not hurt her anymore, wanting to become immune to his actions she decided to give up on him. It was appallingly tough to realize that something she had seemed to be desperately grabbing onto was a mere illusion triggered by her over-romantic nature. A cocktail of feelings exploded in her heart the instant Tadao appeared in her room. Tears of exasperation and sorrow covered her face. Without a word he remained with her until she fell asleep.

The following days looked somewhat alike, the painful treatment, several hours in hot springs, lack of appetite, limitless, variable considerations and soundless Tadao soothing her with his attendance. Due to the intense healing and demon ways of handling the wounds, she managed to stand on her legs already a week after the occurrence. That was the day when Tadao stopped coming. Another week had passed before she could walk freely by herself. The time she could return home had been approaching.

Deciding not to waste a day more, she decided to visit Tadao's room and talk to him. The door was slightly opened, so she snuck in. To her great surprise Tadao was not inside, though the place was not empty. Sesshoumaru was standing on a porch, looking outside.

" _Tadao is on assignment."_

Yuutsuki approached him, not permitting feelings to impede with her objectives. Her plan had foiled the moment she met his concerned eyes for she had never seen him wearing such an emotive expression.

" _Will you not demand an apology?"_ The girl decided to answer him with a question.  _"Is there anything you wish to apologize for?"_  Sesshoumaru did not like her aloof attitude, she was visibly hiding her exact feelings. He approached nearer, and layered her pastel cheek with the big hand of his. The girl's heart pounded quicker, making him smirk for her body was incapable of lying.

" _No."_ He saw what he had anticipated to see, frustration and sorrow of her eyes.

" _But I certainly hope it is recognizable that your protection and best interest are continuously my priority."_

Yuutsuki could not name what she felt, a cascade of contrast filled her mind. A part of her urged, insisted on trusting and pardoning him, lying like a puppet in his hands again, be it for a brief moment, just to feel his generosity again. On the other hand her pride was screaming to abase, insult and push him away.

" _Toying with my feelings is in my best interest as well?"_

The demon's hand dropped loosely and seeing his aggravated expression the hidden bitterness exploded through accusations.

" _I am sorry to be extensively bold, Sesshoumaru-sama. You, a great demon would not care about a human's feelings, so there is no possibility of you even concerning me as your toy. Too degrading! There is nothing in me, worth of nothing joke of a human. Hurting me is fine, as long as you keep your appearances."_

" _Are you so engulfed by arrogance and blinded by pride that you submerge to self-pity? Had I handled things differently, you would be dead."_  He gave her a reproachful, petrifying stare of sentencing, dripping with superiority. Yuutsuki's eyes diverted, convincing him of the precision of his words. That fact made him unpleasantly dismayed, and drove him to walk out of the room reluctant to bestow her with a glance or a word more. She tried to swallow all the guilt and shame that tasted like bile in her throat.

The girl fully opened the garden doors and sat on the porch, enjoying the scenery of setting sun. Not much time passed until the red sky turned black and only the shine of the moon and stars faintly illuminated the garden. She was thoroughly absorbed by thoughts, not conscious of being observed by a grey pair of eyes. Tadao's warm voice rushed the blood in her veins.

" _A beautiful woman in my room waiting for my return, did I do anything to deserve that?"_

" _Ease, pretty."_  He added, noticing how his unforeseen arrival had startled her.

Yuutsuki quickly got up and bowed lowly.

" _Sorry, I lost track of time, it's too late to talk, I will come tomorrow."_  Tadao grabbed her arm, stopping her from going away.

" _Don't go."_

Yuutsuki could not disobey, Tadao pressed her body against his and swept away hair from her ear to whisper in it.

" _I am tremendously relieved to see you almost mended."_

" _Sesshoumaru said that my arrogance and pride drives me to self-pity. Is my anger so blameworthy? Incomprehensible?"_

The demon slightly stiffened hearing his lord's name. He unwillingly let go of the human in his arms. _"I understand your anger, but his decisions served one purpose, to keep you safe. Had he not given you any punishment, someone would have hurt you, poison you, kill you in your sleep, name it. Now your punishment is fulfilled, no one will hurt you. I regret it had to be me delivering it, however it served a purpose as well. Any other demon would try hard to damage you incurably."_  Memories of that day had been revived, bringing tears of helplessness and shivers. Yuutsuki quickly recomposed herself and asked pleadingly:

" _Could you train me again?"_  Seeing his brows lift in disbelief, she quickly added:  _"I know it might be too early, but I want to estimate how far behind I have fallen."_

Tadao flashed a smile, glad to see her spirit rising.

" _Very well then, tomorrow, as usual. I am going to rest now. I propose you return to your room, unless you want to spend the night with me."_ He blinked his eyes provocatively.

" _Thank you, I really appreciate it. Good night."_

As expected, on the next day the injured legs performed poorly, but not as bad as she had feared. Throughout the whole time Yuutsuki felt under surveillance, even Tadao was behaving more reserved, waking further suspicions. As he stopped the training, persuading her not to strain her muscles, the girl finally noticed the spectator. It was a female demon, so similar to Sesshoumaru in every aspect. Her long, silver hair was tied in two ponytails, loosely falling on her back. The purple white kimono patterned in green and yellow butterflies, with dark blue outer wrap underlined her pale face, which unlike Sesshoumaru had only one magenta mark on each cheek. A white fur pelt was tightly wrapped around her shoulders, partly hiding a big necklace. She slowly approached them, almost crushing Yuutsuki's senses with her demon energy. Sesshoumaru's mother looked very young, the golden of her eyes was brighter than the demon lord's.

" _Lady Kimi, welcome back."_  Tadao bent lowly and the girl copied his gesture, not allowing herself to rudely gawk anymore.

" _Thank you Tadao."_  She directed her eyes at the human.  _"Lift your head, Ren Yuutsuki."_

Yuutsuki straightened her posture, with surprise noticing that the demon wasn't taller than her.

" _Hm… I did not expect that."_  The lady of the house pouted with certain playfulness.  _"I expected a typical Ren combatant female with devastated hands and sunken eyes."_ Yuutsuki watched her purple lips crooking in a smile.  _"Unexpectedly… beautiful. As for a human, of course. Tadao, how is her potential?"_

He lifted up his pose and smiled charmingly.

" _Nothing less expected from a Ren, the sword seems to be responding well."_

" _I have heard of you causing troubles for my son recently. In result you've been punished. I do not want any more stirs in my household. Understood, human?"_

Yuutsuki lowered her glance, folding her hands together.

" _I apologize for my senselessness, this will not occur again. I am extremely honoured by the training opportunity given to me."_

" _Of course you are honoured, better remember this before you prove how loose is the connection of your brain and mouth in front of my guests."_  Yuutsuki shuddered to the haughtiness of the demon's voice, unwillingly throwing her an accusatory look. The demon's eyes shone with a brighter light and her clawed hand grabbed the girl's jawbone.

" _As indisputably beautiful as inappropriately feisty."_

Yuutsuki looked away, her blood was boiling of agitation, but she kept silent, trying not to worsen her situation.

" _At least she knows boundaries."_  Kimi released her grip and directed her golden eyes at Tadao.

" _Sesshoumaru and I are having supper together for he is leaving to tend his business in the west. I would like you to be there after he leaves, we have to settle an issue."_

" _Certainly."_

Lady Kimi turned around, leaving Tadao and Yuutsuki alone.

" _Yuutsuki, enraging lady Kimi is…"_

" _I know."_  She interrupted dryly and none of them said anything else.

/

" _Sesshoumaru, let's decide together how to disperse rumours spreading throughout the land and how to punish Ren Oka for damaging the name of the West."_

Lady Kimi was thoroughly looking at her nails, treating the matter with indulgence.

" _Easiest would be to kill Ren Yuutsuki, rumours would die with her, but since you had stated her to be the one fulfilling the duty… Can't be helped. We either marry her to someone, someone somewhat powerful for her position to rise, thereby making her untouchable or we hide her forever. One way or another we must protect our family's name."_

Sesshoumaru's eyes betrayed nothing, with an apathetic voice, he slowly spoke.

" _Only pitiful ones believe in rumours, I see no reason to be concerned."_

" _No. She must marry."_

Tension began to build and silence between the two was imminent. Sesshoumaru stared at her gritty glare with mild frustration.

" _How do you expect to return the Rens' promise then?"_

Kimi giggled, turning her eyes away from Sesshoumaru  _"I saw her today, the human is really gorgeous. Her half demon offspring would not be a bad ornament for your magnificent self. Of course not as a wife, but a temporary companion."_

" _This will not happen."_  His golden eyes were stern and demeaning, as if he dared her to defy his words. The bitterness in his voice dazed even his own mother.  _"The rumours will cease! I will tend the issue myself."_

The female rolled her eyes, her head spinning with irritation.

" _You know she must be marked. I don't want her in my mansion for longer than necessary."_  Sesshoumaru got up abruptly, leaving the place, fuming with anger.

/

The grey eyes observed enraged lord of the west approaching. He was barely containing himself, trying to look reserved as always, but Tadao knew, the conversation with lady Kimi had turned out wrong.

" _I know of my mother's intentions. Yuutsuki must return to the future until the rumours die out."_

" _What of her intentions?"_

" _She wishes to have Yuutsuki marked very soon."_

At that point, Tadao could not keep but to put a smug air about himself.

" _What if I am the pretender?"_

Sesshoumaru's claws twitched convulsively.

" _I am certain you are not, your rank is too high."_

Their eyes never strayed away, as if they were challenging each other, perhaps, indirectly, they were.

" _Once I am chosen, I will mark her."_

" _Dare not to mark her forcefully. Nonetheless if Yuutsuki desires so, I cannot stop you. Now go, I know my mother is waiting for you. I trust you Tadao, I trust you will not hurt her."_

The wolf demon nodded affirmatively and they parted ways.

/

Sesshoumaru sniffed the air intensively, attempting to localize the girl. Following her scent he reached the training grounds, where she was languidly swaying the sword. She noticed him a second afterwards thus stopped moving, just plainly observed. The demon beckoned to her and she trailed with no hesitancy. They left the borders of the mansion and entered the deep forest around it, where they continued on walking for several minutes more. Yuutsuki was observing the silver hair guiding her way, it reminded her of their previous travels, the period wherein she had grown so firmly attached to him. The recollections had captured her enough to miss out Sesshoumaru stopping and she barely avoided bumping into his back.

" _You shall be marked soon, probably tonight, by someone you don't even know. I want you to go with Tadao to Inuyasha's forest and return to your future until the rumours die out. Once they do, my mother shall have no reason to have you marked. In case if after all Tadao is chosen to mark you… The decision belongs to you, the choice…"_

" _How will I know when to come back?"_ She curtly interrupted.

Sesshoumaru held an unreadable expression towards her, but deep inside he was pleased with her obedience. Her response had visibly clarified his uncertainties whether Yuutsuki would allow Tadao to mark her.

" _The sword."_

He placed his hand on the top of the wavy hair, observing her concerned eyes.

" _We shall meet soon."_

Then he disappeared within the shadows, his aura ceasing as well.

/

" _No Tadao, I cannot have you mark her. I do not want my highest general seized by a human girl."_

Kimi answered the wolf demon with a grim.

" _Lower my rank then."_ His imprudent proposal upset her.

" _No. I have already decided upon the person. It will be general Yama."_

Tadao rolled his eyes in annoyance, pretending to accede. Demurring further would cause unnecessary suspicions, which he had to avoid for the plan to succeed.

" _Now call general Yama and the girl. Let's do it now, before Sesshoumaru interferes."_

" _Yes, lady Kimi."_

Tadao left, rapidly setting off to Yuutsuki's room. He was never much of a faithful servant, he had been always taking decisions accordingly to his own conscience, based on his own convictions. At that moment Sesshoumaru's plan was the only agreeable solution.

Sliding the door rapidly, he barged into the room, finding the girl ready to go. She was wearing full garments, warm shoes and a thick outer cloth over her shoulders.

" _You are taking me to Inuyasha's forest, right Tadao?"_  The black eyes brimmed with worries.

" _We must hurry, I was supposed to bring you and… Yama."_  His eyes enraged, the name of the pretender almost making him spit with revulsion.  _"Come."_  Tadao grabbed her hand and they both disappeared from the mansion, landing in nearby forest.

" _I will carry you for now, we must run before they discover our disappearance."_  His arms wrapped around her strongly and he rushed forward through the autumn fog.

Not even an hour passed and Yuutsuki's body was all sore from the turbulences of Tadao's leaps and dashes, resulting in urges of walking instead. Noticing her inconvenience, he smiled apologetically.

" _This is only for now, we must gain advantage, I am focusing on speed. The only way of travelling a bit more comfortably would require me changing in my demon form. I do not think you want to ride a hairy wolf. I don't like to idea of it myself."_

" _Don't be bothered by it."_

He nodded, focusing on his way. Only at dusk Tadao stopped in an opened meadow, allowing Yuutsuki to stretch her limbs out, first time in several hours. The evening was cold and foggy, one could expect the snow to fall anytime. Shaking out of cold, the girl rubbed her hands together and jumped around whilst he gathered materials needed to start a bonfire. The wind rustled among the tall grass, rocking it back and forth.

" _Done, come, warm up."_

Yuutsuki almost glued to the red flame, enjoying its warmth. Tadao scratched his chin and smiling, he asked:

" _Did lord Sesshoumaru tell you I could be the one to mark you?"_

The girl nodded slowly, diverting her eyes from his handsome face.

" _It doesn't matter. Doesn't matter who, the fact is I do not want to be marked at all."_

His face remained smiling, assured by that she continued.

" _I don't understand demons well. Impressions are enough to pledge virtues, trifles enough to punish. I would not make such an important decision as to mate a demon recklessly, especially as I belong five hundred years to the future."_

Tadao sat down and invited her with a gesture to do the same.

" _And I think that humans might have a bit twisted way of perceiving demons' mentality. Anyway pretty, you, me, forest and we talk about differences in perceiving. Something is not right."_  The girl sighted at the wide smile, bringing her brows together.

" _You are like this towards all females, aren't you? How many did you already woo into your charms?"_

Tadao's smile faded, replacing it with an alert expression. At the same time Yuutsuki experienced the ring emanate with warmth, aligning.

" _We must catch it! It has shards which will be nullified anytime_!" She rose snappishly, irritably eyeing motionless Tadao. An enraged demon boar jumped from the nearby bushes, roaring widely.

" _Tadao! Help me to get the shard!"_

" _Try yourself. Your previous words offended me."_  He crossed his arms, observing the growing tension in Yuutsuki's eyes. Snatching her sword, she screamed out loud, attracting attention of the weakling. There was a still shiny shard of the jewel in its head, but its glow was fading. She could not lose the sight of it. Since the creature was rather fast, especially when compared to a normal human, Yuutsuki had to hastily think of a way to catch up to it before it became untraceable. She focused the sword's demon power on her frozen legs, hoping that it would deliver enough speed to attain the shard. Moments after the demon energy settled in her leg muscles, a slight burning sensation run on her scars left from Tadao's whips. It was not necessarily aching, but it wasn't very pleasant either, nonetheless she could not doddle around, the gap separating her from the shard was widening, rushing her to set off like an arrow in order to hit the target. The girl was rather taken aback with the hustle the demon energy had provided, and proved there was more than one way to the sword usage. Although amazed, she was not as staggered as the demon boar, which was now running side-by-side with the girl, who was amused with herself, imagining the beast had actually shown a baffled expression. Being so close, she casually took the shard away, stopping in her tracks, leaving the startled demon make itself scarce.

" _Got it!"_  Yuutsuki triumphantly waved the nullified shard, beaming a perky smile at Tadao's slightly offended face. They departed again, until they found a suitable place to spend the night. It was a rather small cave, hidden behind thick trees, where the radiant pool of moonlight did not reach. The exhaust abstained from complaining about the hardness of the surface, lulling her almost immediately.

" _You did well today. But remember, you must learn how to switch the energy instantly if you want to exceed in fight. Nonetheless, you have surprised me yet again, you can be proud of yourself."_

Yuutsuki smiled without answering him and snuggled in her warm clothing, falling asleep. Her head loosely dropped on his shoulder. He listened to the rhythm of her breaths, not allowing himself to move an inch for the fear of waking her up.

Before the sun rose to its highest point during the day, they had reached the well and the time to say goodbye had arrived. Tadao grasped Yuutsuki's cold hand and rubbed it, warming it up.

" _Don't be long, pretty or I will get lonely."_

Pouting, she tapped his chest her expression changing to unhappy.

" _I will be lonely without you too."_

Charming her, Tadao bestowed her with his earnest smile, leaving no space to demur once his arms wrapped around her. Yuutsuki's heart was beating rapidly, his actions were bringing various feelings, as if he wanted to pass on more than merely a caress. His words came as confirmation of the premonition.

" _I might not be here once you come back, this might be our farewell."_

" _Why? Tadao…"_  The demon's finger pressed against his mouth hushed her attempts to speak. He took advantage of her baffled stance and stole a prolonged kiss from the stunned girl.

" _Go. Thank you for the parting gift."_  Not wavering he pushed her towards the well, trying not to mind the black eyes brimming with tears. Yuutsuki lost her footing, falling in to the well as her gaze locked at the blond haired demon and his dazzling, grey eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have read that Sesshoumaru's mother was baptized Inukimi (Royal dog) by fans, so I just shortened it to Kimi.
> 
> In the next chapter you will be able to figure out the relationship between Sesshoumaru and Shizuka.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me a long time to write this one. Actually I erased more than 4000 words, finding it cliché.
> 
> I wrote around 4000 words again, just to realize I cannot go on, for it is not what I want to publish. It was indeed hard to put this chapter accordingly to my actual wishes. Finding a balance between originality and a palpable story is proving to be a real challenge.

The warm feeling of time-crossing did not occur and Yuutsuki's back hit the bones settled on the well's bottom, upon the impact her head collided with the uneven ground, creating a cloud of dust. Her hands naturally wandered to the source of the pain where she met the familiar, gooey texture of blood. The second after Tadao drew her out, allowing her to breathe with dust free air. He quickly estimated her state, with a sigh of relief reckoning it as not serious, just a superficial cut in a tender place. Yuutsuki dropped to her knees, his hand sliding along the length of her arm. The demon's sharp ears detected a hesitant step behind him and a foreign scent wafted his nose. He reached down to raise Yuutsuki to her feet and draped his left arm around her waist as he pointed his sword forward defensively with the right one.

" _Come out!"_

" _Let go of Yuutsuki you bastard, what have you done to her! I smell her blood from afar!"_  Inuyasha's spry voice broke before the demon walked out of the shadows of the trees, holding a transformed Tessaiga. A human female in a peculiar, indecent uniform holding a bow appeared behind him, her eyes lit up upon seeing Tadao's companion.

" _Yuu-chan!"_

At the sound of the newcomer's voice Yuutsuki lifted up her head, perceiving through her muzzy eyes and spoke slowly, deeming it appropriate to clear the misunderstanding.

" _Tadao, he's …"_  He placed a finger on her lips in a hushing gesture.

" _And y're who?"_  Inuyasha's golden eyes brimmed, trying to hide his anger. The demons' glares met and Inuyasha's body trembled. Despite his usual boldness, his instincts screamed not to start a skirmish with that demon.

" _More importantly, let me heal her!"_  Kagome moved towards the girl, but Tadao's admonitory glare withheld her efforts.

" _I am fine Kagome-chan, trust him."_  The demons finally dropped their swords, still bestowing each other with an equivocal glare. Tadao ripped a part of his sleeve and pressed it against her wound.

" _I wanted to return home, but I couldn't."_

" _What do you mean?!"_  Yuutsuki's sad words worsened Kagome's tense expression.

" _I jumped and hit the bottom. I am quite puzzled myself."_

" _I must check it!"_  Kagome rushed towards the well with intentions of jumping in. She disappeared from within, just to come back a minute later.

" _It works! Yuutsuki you made me so scared!"_  With a tone of alleviation, Kagome added cheerfully:  _"Just try one more time!"_

Somewhat assured, Yuutsuki nodded her head, throwing a look at Tadao, who nodded approvingly with a faint smile and a prolonged eye wink.

" _I will then."_

She jumped in, her heart filled up with doubts and hopes. Closing her eyes, she was falling loosely until she knew the time travel did not occur yet again. She screamed in fear of another crush and would have probably hit the rock bottom again if not for Tadao's keen reflexes. He had teleported and caught the falling girl just in time to avoid the consequent collision.

" _Thank you…"_  She tightly grabbed his clothes, gluing to his shoulder, she hid several tears of feebleness. He remained motionless, allowing her to recompose herself before returning to the surface, giving her extra time to embrace the situation.

In sour mood, the group of four barged in Kaede's hut, bringing a cold wind of winter along. Upon hearing the news, the elder's face saddened, and an awkward stillness settled between them. Yuutsuki urged to break it, however the lack of means successfully kept her hushed.

" _I think that well did not want to let you through because you are not supposed to leave Yuutsuki. We need your help, our shards were robbed by Naraku several days ago. We think he has the whole jewel now. We must act and you would be of great help."_  Kagome grabbed her hands, squeezing them tightly in a comforting gesture.

" _It is not true, he doesn't have them all."_  Three pair of eyes pierced hers, surprised by the unexpected news.

" _I have one shard. It is nullified."_ Yuutsuki took out the small stoned shard and Kagome stretched out her hands to get it. To everyone's surprise, Inuyasha seized it before Kagome laid a touch on it.

" _Don't take it K'gome. If you purify it Naraku will sense it."_

Kagome smiled and patted his head, bringing a twisted smirk to his face. Tadao chuckled slightly at the sight and slowly spoke:

" _Don't make yourself at home too much, pretty."_

" _What do you mean? Are you going to take Yuutsuki back?"_  Kagome blushed as Tadao's intense look moved from her face to her short skirt, followed by a frown of disapproval.

" _What I mean is that Yuutsuki is not safe."_  The demon casually moved towards the door and added before leaving.  _"I will quickly scout the area."_

The girl knew what exactly he had meant. Anyone could be after her life at the moment, also her presence was a danger to the guiltless villagers.

" _Yuutsuki, I agree that ya should not stay here. Even people from this village gossip about the bait for you."_  Kaede sighed.  _"The greediness of people knows no boundaries. I am sorry child, but you are not safe in here."_

" _He's back."_  Inuyasha's words were followed by Tadao's sudden appearance inside of the hut.

" _Don't just go teleportin' there and back as ya wish. It pisses me off."_ With squinting eyes, and a glow within them Tadao ogled the half demon as he barked out, only to surprise the latter by ignoring what had been said, and having sat down next to him, supporting his back on the wall whilst observing the bunch in silence.

" _Since you have one shard, you do not need to pursue Naraku immediately. Maybe after all we could mix Yuutsuki among villagers until her safety is guaranteed."_  The old woman broke the silence, speaking hastily, gesticulating unduly dynamically as for her age. " _The demon needs to disguise himself as well. I can arrange it. He has no particular demon markings, the only problem, the eyes, we can explain. He will have to dye his hair."_

" _Doesn't sound bad to me. We could wait until Sango and Miroku come back from their journey."_ Inuyasha tugged his arms into the sleeves of his kimono, appearing deep in thought while still nodding his head in approval. The girl flung a shocked look at Tadao, not expecting his consent since he had never approved of her blending with the public. She craved for his disagreement, which at this point seemed unlikely, so she unfastened her mouth to demur their indication, however he spoke first.

" _It will not be long, pretty. There is nowhere else for you to go."_

Throughout the conversation Yuutsuki's emotions had seemed to be stranded, but she had no intentions of concealing her opinion, it was not in her nature to allow others to draw decisions on matters she felt to have the last say.

" _No. I will not do this, it's ridiculous. I will not stay hidden like a rabbit in a hole because of infantile Ren Oka."_

Yuutsuki directed herself to Tadao.

" _I know that by being unable to return home I have ruined your plans, I do not expect you to stay and babysit me. I can manage on my own."_

" _I have disregarded lady Kimi's orders, moreover went against them. My position in that mansion is lost. Not that I regret it, for a while I wanted to leave and finally pursue what is mine. But I cannot go knowing you are directly exposed to danger, cannot just go and leave you in the lurch."_ The girl was unfazed by his words, and to stand her ground she claimed.

" _I will not…"_

" _You will not have your judgment clouded by your pride. You let it rule over thoughts like a fool, cease this behaviour and acknowledge that you have nowhere left to go for the time being."_ The demon harshly interrupted Yuutsuki's stubborn statements.

" _Tadao is right Yuu-chan, you can stay hidden in here, living as a villager sounds like heaven compared to meandering around in fear for your life."_  Kagome was visibly annoyed at her friend's stern attitude. Narrowing her eyes, she gazed at her, awaiting a riposte. Yuutsuki scowled, manifesting further displeasure in her voice.

" _Shouldn't you understand me the most? If the village life is such heaven, why are you still dressed in your school uniform? Seeking looks from strangers?"_

" _That's rude, Yuu-chan!"_  Kagome crossed her arms, pretending not to notice Tadao's blatant sneer.

" _Do not argue, children. Yuutsuki, if you don't stay in here, where do you intend to go?"_  The old priestess tried to alleviate the conflict. Hearing no answer, she nodded her head in disapproval.

As the vision of lasting argument hung in the air, the hollowing sounds of wind magnified, the thumping roar of thunder and precipitation shook the huts structure, indicating an upcoming blizzard would clash down the village, inhibiting any type of travel.

" _Whatever your decision might be, seems like tonight everyone is staying here."_ The obvious fact was casually underlined by the old priestess as she threw an extra log to the fire. Little did they all know, regardless of Yuutsuki's decision, she was destined to stay.

/

The moon was casting long, twisted shadows of tress on the snowy ground. Only gusts of wind could be heard, but Sesshoumaru knew he was not alone. His advantage depended on how fast the other side would comprehend that fact. Scurrying in a circle through bushes, his indifferent eyes locked on his targets, two demons, Kona and Naka resting by a tree. The sisters were sleeping, it was tremendously fortunate of Sesshoumaru to have found them under such an infrequent stance for demons. Even though, confident in his abilities, he wasn't cognizant of the enemy's capabilities and potentials, he also could not allow the possibility of them fleeing. He unsheathed the Rens' sword, grasping it tightly. A graceful jump forward took him in front of the demons, bringing them back to consciousness, far too late though, Sesshoumaru took a wide swing and with one, surefooted movement he assassinated the masked demon by slashing her head off. The limp body collapsed with a thump as the detached head rolled to his feet. He reckoned it as a lenient manner of adjudging issues. The distresses and shattered reputation of his house normally should be repaid thoroughly by fierce, public tortures, like ripping nails or gouging eyes, eventually dismembering the body piece by piece. Nevertheless the measures did not matter, he had been urging too much to cease the demons' existence, finally exclude the major danger to Yuutsuki's life. Spurting blood had bespattered him, staining his face, hair and white kimono. The other demon fled the area in fright, knowing she would not aid her sister anymore. Sesshoumaru shadowed her, enjoying the intoxicating blood rush from taking a life away. After all it was a demon's true nature to relish of enemies' terror and misery. He could teleport and murder her in an instant, yet that solution wasn't sufficiently appealing after the facile kill from before. He thrived in the hunt, she was being chased like a wild animal, frightened, clinging onto her life that was fiddling between his fingers. Sesshoumaru used his poisonous whip, slashing her back with incredible force. The demon slid on the ground, moaned, however continued on running away. Sesshoumaru smothered a laugh, directing another whip at the demon's legs, felling her instantly. He observed the creature crawl, she would not avoid death anymore. His claws found her throat, squeezing it with merciless strength. The female's horrified eyes locked on his, bringing him more pleasure to the act of crumbling her neck, hearing the spine snap and finally observing the life leaving its vessel. He collected both heads of the deceased demons and set towards the Rens' mansion, leaving a trace of blood drops behind him on the snowy ground. The blood stained garments matched his furiously red eyes and smudged blood of Kona and Naka on his face contrasted with bared, white fangs for he could not hide a wide smile of vengeance.

On the next, chilly, albeit sunny morning as Ren Oka made her way out of the house, a horrifying image welcomed her upon crossing the mansion's main gate. Two severed heads were impaled on pointy edges of the gate, the faces of Kona and Naka hunted Oka's mind. She fell to her knees and squeaked in fear of premonition that her head was the next aim. Believing that offence is the best defence, she decided to hire the strongest demon one could find to protect her from the assassin and as well take over the previous demons' job. Assured of her choices, Oka left the mansion in search of aid, with pockets full of gold, setting towards Kaede's village.

/

The early morning had gone calmly and uninterestingly, therefore it was the perfect environment to discuss on whether he should take Yuutsuki's side and come up with another location for their stay, or simply convince the girl to follow the plan he had agreed upon. Of course "simply" was placed in Tadao's mind to fool him, for he was well aware it would be a nearly impossible task to achieve, so perhaps, devising a plan was in order. He requested time alone with the girl, inviting her to stroll around the well. They had not much time to discuss, his sharp senses had picked up a brawl not far, and normally a demon would take no interest in that, but having given himself the duty of protecting Yuutsuki, the commotion could turn into a problem for the girl, therefore he decided to investigate, signalling her to keep her voice down.

The odour was human, he did not hold doubts about it, but as a measure of caution, he made himself as unnoticeable as possible and approached the area only to witness what he most loathed in humans, cowardice. Three men had attacked and were then rapping a helpless, young female. Tadao's hatred for such behaviour disallowed him to merely spectate for long and immediately the demon flung toward the weak trio, killing them before accurately landing and sheathing his sword.

Yuutsuki joined him and covered her mouth in tremor upon seeing the occurrence.

" _Thank you.. I Ren Oka am indebted to you."_ The victim spoke softly as she tried to lift herself up and recompose her garments, a task made harder for those were badly ripped.

" _Ren Oka…A most fitting demise then."_ With an aloof expression, only comparable to that of Sesshoumaru, Tadao undressed his sword once again, spun it so that his thumb would press on the swords hilt and lunged towards Oka's bare chest, wanting to kill her almost instantly. In the last moment he ceased his movement, for Yuutsuki had managed to place herself in between. Her wide opened arms were shielding the skunk from imminent death.

" _Tadao…"_  Understanding her plea did not change his feeling, Oka's death was necessary, for with it the rumours would also perish, and from it a new safety for Yuutsuki would arise.

" _An alliance is nothing more than two sides deciding not to cross a defined line. This one not only crossed it, but as well went way beyond any forgiveness."_

Yuutsuki's eyes watered, but he quickly comprehended not for the reasons he had anticipated. Ren Oka snorted, yelling in a bizarre laughter:

" _Die you witch, DIE!"_

Tadao huffed, catching falling Yuutsuki and with the right hand, tightly grabbing his sword to pierce Ren Oka's chest. The latter's mouth covered with blood and her eyes congealed, with an exhalation finally finding her end. The demon, as delicately as he could, took out a small dagger form Yuutsuki's back, accusing himself of her injury. The wound was bleeding pulsingly, staining the girl's outfit, dripping to the arm holding her, just to finally leak on the purely white layer of snow. His eyes enflamed, that wench had not used the weapon to defend herself against bullies, but had deemed applicable to stab the one protecting her from death. Using his ability of instant teleportation, he appeared in Kaede's hut, hoping the priestesses could heal the injured one. Two days had passed and due to intensive care and constant healing the wound was not of danger anymore. Kagome and Inuyasha decided to spend several days in the future, utilizing the time parting them from the expected fight with Naraku.

Being instructed to relax the injured body, Tadao took the girl to a place Kaede had told him about, which was perfect for their purpose, for he could join Yuutsuki in a relaxing bath but would not put in compromise her privacy. The location was indeed as described, two springs separated by dense brushes and trees, but near enough to have a conversation without shouting. Each of them took a place on their side of the separator.

" _You go in first, Tadao."_

" _Oh, do you wish to peak on me?"_

" _Of course not, I'm just hoping to have secure privacy if you are already in the water."_

The demon agreed, and after a brief moment, a splash of water was heard, and Tadao instructed Yuutsuki that she was free to make herself comfortable. As the girl began to remove her upper garment with obviously difficulty yet carefully not to reopen the wound on her back, she heard a slight brushing of leaves, and through the corner of her eye noticed the familiar shape of Tadao's shadow.

" _Tadao, I can see you there."_  Her voice displayed reasonable annoyance.

" _Well, it could not have hurt to try."_  The demon made his way back to the water, where now a bigger and more palpable splash was heard, and the girl was free to enter the water as well.

Conversation broke out between the two, and amidst trivial matters and curiosities about the demon's life, a particular topic of interest was initiated by him.

" _Do you think you will be able to return home?"_ Either curiosity or concern could have guided his mouth, however in result the demon had broken the cheery mood with that question. Yuutsuki preferred to have avoided such queries, to which, she herself didn't know the answer to.

She made her way out of the water.  _"I don't know…"_ Hastily, yet noiselessly she dried herself and got dressed, after brief moments, the demon did the same, and he would have gotten ready had he not been interrupted by a familiar presence.

" _I don't know if I should thank my lucky stars or curse at them, you and a beauty in my path."_ A pair of blue eyes ogled the couple, the owner of those smiled, revealing sharp fangs contrasting with his tanned skin.

" _What are you doing here, Kouga?"_ Tadao growled at the other demon, and the once cheerful, later heavy atmosphere, had been replaced with one of menacing brawl.

" _Tadao, who is this?"_ The question softly broke out of Yuutsuki's lips, and even though she felt safe having Tadao present, she did not fancy witnessing a skirmish.

" _You could say he's an old friend, this cousin of mine, but the truth is, our fathers were rivals, and so are we."_  Even if Tadao meant his words for Yuutsuki, they also served to remind his opponent that he had not forgotten each other's intentions.

" _Old friends… Eh…"_  Kouga's blue eyes rolled, not able to contain the irony.  _"Rivals, eh? You know my instincts would never allow me to engage in a fight with you."_

" _Yet you are with a tribe and I am not."_  The answer beamed with bitterness.

Yuutsuki observed the awkward tension between the two demons, shaking out of cold. Her long, wet hair was covered with a thin layer of white snow. Tadao noticed her stance and placed his shirt over her head. The girl threw a concern glance at his naked chest, but he comforted her with an assuring smile.

" _And who might that be, did you finally decide to think about mating? Reveal your name, honey…"_  Kouga directed himself straight to Yuutsuki.

" _What's your business in this part of lands? Bored of ruling the east?"_  The grey eyed demon took one step ahead, as if shielding the girl from Kouga's words.

" _Guarding your woman's privacy? Fine, whatever."_

" _I intend to regain my position_. _"_  Tadao's raw words staggered the other demon.

" _Are you serious?"_  Kouga's eyes lit up with interest.  _"You will finally take down the fake leader of the north?"_

" _That's exactly what I am going to do."_  Tadao grabbed Yuutsuki's arm.  _"Cheers, Kouga, glad to see you alive."_  Kouga seemed stunned, but as well slightly amused, as if Tadao's words were a kind of good information.

" _Wait, girl, are you from the village?"_

Looking back, Yuutsuki slowly nodded.

" _Do you know priestess Kagome? Is she there? I do not know if it is worth stopping there."_

" _She's away."_  At that moment Tadao teleported them back to Kaede's hut. Despite her trials and efforts, he did not reveal anything else about the conversation he had had with Kouga.

/

For full two days he had been commanding new laws and political tactics for his lands. On the third day he was able to fully relax, enjoying the luxuries of his hot springs. After a refreshing bath, Sesshoumaru sat cross-legged on the veranda of his house of the west, enjoying the view of the winter sun. Like always, the natural phenomenon reminded him of Yuutsuki, even though he deemed her more of a moon person for her presence wasn't as blinding as sun rays, however always existent, even if concealed, like the moon. The moonlight would make you meander, lose your way, be irresolute of the rightfulness of the intentional path. Comically, it was entertaining to persist in uncertainty, for each and every step forward would bring a new prospect to the most habitual things.

His ponderings were disrupted by a familiar energy rapidly approaching the house, he wondered what was the purpose of the visit. Not moving an inch, he awaited for Shizuka to join him. Stepping daintily, her feet shuffling softly against the floor, she bent lowly, bestowing him with her best smile, receiving only a slight nod of his freshly washed head in return.

" _Dear Sesshoumaru, I hope that one human will not affect our long lasting bounds, I will not question your judgements anymore."_

The female's warm hand wandered underneath his kimono, playfully roaming around his shoulders, chest and stomach, causing no change in his indifferent expression. Her lips touched his ear, granting it several soft kisses.

" _I don't want the Ren girl to become like that deceased child, an obstacle to our relationship."_  The demon allowed herself to completely bare Sesshoumaru's chest.

" _Jealousy doesn't suit you, Shizuka."_

" _It's not jealousy, it's simply that you neglect to keep my urges in check when the human is involved."_  She murmured provocatively while nibbling his ear. Shizuka's dark orbs were a reminiscence of Yuutsuki and the time he had tasted the girl's lips, bringing a tight feeling to his stomach. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, picturing the human's face.

" _Fine then!"_  He growled out, unexpectedly deciding to take advantage of Shizuka's fondness. She attempted to kiss his lips, vainly though, for he had grabbed her wrists and slammed her to the ground, hastily taking their clothes off.

Sesshoumaru observed Shizuka's slender back as she was slowly recomposing her garments, allowing him to leer as much as he wished for.

" _Why won't you ever let me kiss your lips? Is it a reserved privilege for that human?"_ Her voice sounded harsher than she wanted it to be. He was cognizant that she had shared the fruit of her womanhood with many influential people, he was not jealous nonetheless. To him she was one of his mere tools to bring him pleasure, no feelings attached, even despite being aware of her fondness. The woman sought a royal husband, apparently dreamt of him the most, bestowing him with the finest she could give, but just in case kept several options opened. Such behaviour was quite typical and pragmatic among demon societies, however he could not esteem that kind of women nor would ever want one for a mate. Her falsely based anticipations bothered him, suffocated with her hopes for his affection. The demon lord put on his kimono and daringly looking in to Shizuka's eyes, his low, soft voice replied in a flat tone:

" _It is indeed reserved, not for a wench like yourself."_  Shizuka laughed it off, even though a sour expression was too evidently showing on her face. The female stretched her body, slightly shaking in the cold of the winter wind. Possessiveness was like a snake, agile and murky, wrapping itself in copious coatings around her numbing heart, finding a perfect response for his rude words.

" _I guess not for the Rens' girl either, even if you really wanted, my dear_. _"_  Her amused tone alerted Sesshoumaru's attention, casting an unpleasant atmosphere between them.

" _What do you mean?"_

" _There are rumours… That she had been marked by Tadao, they ran away together."_ There was no change in Sesshoumaru's distant glare, but the female knew it would not be long so calm.

" _That rumour would make sense connected to what I heard from one of my underlings I have met on my way here. He informed me of fresh news. Around three days ago, the young Ren was found in a puddle of blood, barely alive her clothes ripped off, she was surely raped. Supposedly a wolf demon, the description suits to Tadao, finished her off after killing her oppressors. Maybe he could not bear looking at his disgraced mate, so he made her a favour and… sent her to the grave."_  Shizuka spoke lightly, as if the story was exceptionally humorous. The corners of her ample lips dropped immediately upon seeing the dreadful reaction of the western lord.

" _Where?"_  Sesshoumaru's claws unexpectedly thrust her shoulders, opening abundantly bleeding wounds.

" _Why are you hurting me?"_  Shizuka cried out, however was not oblivious of his reasons.  _"It will not bring her life back!"_

" _Answer or I swear you will lose yours..."_  His completely red eyes beamed with fury as she whispered in sheer distress and fear for her life:

" _Near the Inuyasha's forest."_


	17. Chapter 17

The wolf demon could sense Sesshoumaru approaching from miles away, he was uneasy about the excessively tangible, dark flavoured fury accompanying the lord of the west, one that Tadao experienced only once, upon Rin's death. A moment passed and the two demons faced each other, both glares ferociously incisive.

" _I know of everything. Why did you break the alliance and murdered her?!"_  At that point Sesshoumaru was not capable of hiding true emotions, a shiver went down his spine as the wind brought a faint scent of Yuutsuki's blood coming from Tadao's garments.

" _Her death was necessary. The rumours will cease for the source of it is gone."_  The western lord roared dreadfully, barely caging his demon form.

" _You shall pay for your actions."_

Tadao's eyes remained aloof, observing Sesshoumaru's lunge towards him. Being unable to understand the reason of rage, he calmly asked:

" _Was Ren Oka's life so dear to you?"_

Sesshoumaru was stopped short on his tracks by the uttered words.

" _I smell Yuutsuki's blood on you."_

Tadao laughed in pure disbelief of the misinterpretation, unmistakably confusing his company.

" _Yuutsuki is fine, it is Ren Oka that died."_

Still, Sesshoumaru's uneasiness persisted for he could not explain why Shizuka would have lied. In order to prove his words Tadao touched his lord's shoulder and teleported them inside of the village. The pleasing scent of Yuutsuki was becoming stronger and fresher, until they entered Kaede's hut. For his great alleviation, the girl he had been longing for was in his sight and reach, staring at him, baffled by his sudden, unexpected arrival. She was lying down on her stomach to keep the wounded back resting, but the colour of her face seemed promising. She was bearing no traces of being marked by anyone. The mixture of concern, alleviation, disbelief and anger allowed him only to dryly utter in an accusatory tone:  _"Why are you still here, girl?"_

Yuutsuki's glance went astray in order to avoid the chilling image of his bloody red eyes and tightly clenched fists. That was not the customary image of his and forthrightly, it would fright anyone, especially her, as their last conversation had not been favourable in the slightest.

Yuutsuki reached out and shakily placed her much smaller hand in Tadao's, depending on his strength to get up into sitting position. He tapped her head in a comforting gesture, despite noticing her tension and anxiety, he left without a word. The girl wondered about the reason of Sesshoumaru's rushed arrival, however being aware of his reluctance to explain himself, she remained silent, partly in fear of his answer. Could it be that after all lady Kimi had altered his mind and somehow prompted him to satisfy the royal lady's demands to mate her with a general of theirs?

" _Do you still urge for my apology?"_

Her head snapped up to look at the asker straight in the face, before her throat tightened and she could only gape at Sesshoumaru staring down from his superior location. His already golden eyes pierced hers, curiously seeking an answer. It was not a question she had predicted, such rapid relation to the past had staggered her, but also made her exhale with relief, scattering her former uncertainties.

" _I am well aware that you recon it unnecessary."_ Her voice despite being weakened, rang out with a fierce tone in the speech.

" _We are not always motivated by necessity, sometimes we move by instinct."_  The demon paused and stared at the girl's legs, once more convincing himself if not for that punishment, she would have been killed out of revenge. The languid, dark eyes were blatantly placed straight on his, piercing them with a slight umbrage, exceedingly contrasting with what he had imagined still in his house that very morning. Sesshoumaru could not overlook that, almost tasting her grudge towards his preceding actions, the altered feelings of his were permitting thoughts and reactions, which ordinarily he would not want to compel.

" _Everything is as good as bad."_  She uttered lightly, her voice hoarse with emotion, dark eyes slightly losing the strict display. There was an obvious conflict within her, the time apart seemed to have helped in understanding his motives behind her punishment, although she could not forget, nor hide the pain and was quite vulnerable to his presence. Taking a step closer, Sesshoumaru moved his hand in a gesture to request hers, an invitation that had been negated at first, but accepted after a brief moment of thought. Her hand was warm, and the expected harshness from sword wielders had been replaced with soft skin. Under Sesshoumaru's ever-lasting cool and aloof expression, a storm of feelings and controversial thoughts had broken upon letting go of Yuutsuki's hand. The demon turned away, ready to leave the hut, but he had yet to know of the sentence that would stop him, that would bring a realization of how dangerous his attachment to her was.

" _Do not go…"_

His loosely hung arm was grasped by Yuutsuki's soft hand, which gradually slid down, reaching his palm. Sesshoumaru's claws twitched, he was aware of the risks of remaining in that hut. Without looking he could tell the pride and confusion were mixed in her glare, and as he pleaded to be let go, the grip grew tighter and the sense it brought, more abrasive.

" _I do not take orders."_

The demon hesitated to commit his feelings towards the human girl, a desire made impossible since he still felt Shizuka's scent around. Unsure if Yuutsuki was able to sense the female demon's obscene odour in him and fearing that it would pose as an offence to her, Sesshoumaru shook his hand slightly, as if to drive away a persistent fly, but the clench remained, becoming even stronger and more present. Mildly annoyed at the resistance, he looked down through his shoulder, ogling her.

" _I…"_  A silent second broke in her line of speech.  _"I am afraid."_  The last three words were said in a cracked whisper, and the dark, humid eyes fixed on his reserved look, bringing a new emotion to Sesshoumaru's heart. There was no possibility he could leave her under such a stance. He dropped to one knee and swiftly turned his hand, and as their palms were facing, he locked his fingers on hers. The simple gesture had brought them closer and an intimate atmosphere had fallen between them, allowing him to forget the fresh memory of Shizuka, it had faded away, dropping along with the white snow outside.

The fear in Yuutsuki's clouded mind had softly worn and she could fully direct her attention to the feelings Sesshoumaru had displayed, as always he could not open himself entirely to her, neither she to him, so as to go against instinct, both drew the gap between them shorter. Without breaking gazes, their lips touched only for a brief second, Yuutsuki had quickly withdrawn herself, feeling they had gone too far, fearing what she could expect beyond that point, as well surprised at the unwanted turn of action for she had betrayed her pride by ignoring the suffering she had gone through due to the demon's choices. Sesshoumaru's male nature made him feel rejected and tempted to force an actual kiss, but having learnt from past experiences, he regained control of his behaviour and softly dropped the girl's hand on her leg.

She directed a casual look at him, relieved that he had accepted her decision in order to avoid untold complications. The demon's expression however, remained as reserved as ever, but his eyes gave away the confirmation Yuutsuki expected, his feelings for her had not changed, but were made clearer after that moment. The winds were almost playfully blowing outside, shaking the hut's structure and creating an unpleasant, squeaky noise. Sesshoumaru took out Tenseiga and placed her alongside the girl and said with his usual, deep voice.

" _I will be around."_

Yuutsuki nodded her head and in a moment was left alone, an unforeseen frustration flowing amidst the blood in her veins. The behaviour of hers was not the course of action she had wished to see. Instead of standing by her resolutions of staving off, staying immune in order to finish the entrusted mission as fast as possible, she had willingly, almost with optimism, allowed herself to be drawn closer towards the cold-hearted plague of grief called unrequired love. Despite Sesshoumaru's apparent attachment, it was sure that once again she was a moveable, disposable and easily perusable part of his game to which only he knew the rules to. The most problematic aspect though was the fact that she could not decide whether to participate or to resign, she was merely able to go with the flow, allowing blind luck gamble her fate. Yuutsuki grabbed Tenseiga and hurled it across the tiny chamber of Kaede's hut, cursing herself for being weak and giving in to emotion whenever Sesshoumaru was around.

/

Sesshoumaru traced Tadao's smell, joining him around the borders of the village.

" _Why didn't she return to the future?"_ Albeit simple, his question was not easily answered.

" _I am not familiar with it, lord Sesshoumaru, but it seems to me, that the passage has closed for her. The other girl managed to go through, however Yuutsuki could not."_

" _Hm…"_  The pensive response brought several moments of silence between them.

" _Ren Oka is dead, the demons pursuing Yuutsuki are bound to retreat_." Sesshoumaru closed his eyes before answering.

" _The demons are also dead. Around two weeks more and the rumours should disappear."_  Tadao nodded his head in amazement on how fast the issue had been solved.

" _I intend to return to my fatherland."_  The wolf demon's declaration brought an infrequent, astounded expression to Sesshoumaru's habitually apathetic face, however was buried rapidly under a smirk.

" _True power is to willingly renounce it, meanwhile being able to retain it with no difficulties."_  Tadao bent lowly, positing the words for consent of his policies.

" _I respect your choices, however I must ask you to postpone it."_  Sesshoumaru added and the wolf demon quickly straightened up his position.

" _It is my duty to protect the ring's wielder, and that protection will be needed in the battle with Naraku, who I hope to kill with my own hands."_  Sesshoumaru bared his fangs upon recalling the sinister actions towards small Rin.

" _I count on your aid."_  Tadao nodded affirmatively.

" _But before that I want you to travel west to a village called two stones. Rumours spread that the village's monk is in possession of the lost Rens' ring, the one from the current times. Retrieve it and return here."_

The golden and grey eyes met in understanding, the wolf demon disappeared, leaving Sesshoumaru in the middle of a meadow.

/

" _Are ya sure ya don't want to go out yet, child?"_  Kaede's doubtful expression deprived Yuutsuki of any hopes for understanding as she sighed, not sure what to answer. Tadao had left after a brief goodbye and a promise of returning soon, so only her and the demon lord had been around. Even if she was to depart, where would she go?

" _Lord Sesshoumaru's been roamin' around the village for three days, he's waitin' for ya."_

Yuutsuki had been indeed occasionally sensing his presence around for the last couple of days, as if on purpose inviting her to the sticky web of perceptions and jeopardies, counting on her vulnerability, weakness to guide her straight into his unfair game.

In her mind, she deemed his every action as planned, that with every step he had wanted to gain something, or maybe cause certain behaviour of hers, nevertheless to be frank even she, herself, was not absolutely confident about it. The assumption of him truly attempting to get closer towards her awoke anxiety, but as well rampant expectations, which she grew to be abashed of.

" _The feelings I shun follow me."_

Kaede threw a surprised look at the girl. Yuutsuki did not expect the old woman to understand something so separated from the context.

" _I am going out."_  Her still aching body slowly rose to the full height and the pale hand grabbed Tenseiga along with the Rens' sword. Kaede cast a warm coating on her shoulders.

" _The previous one was too stained. That is all I've got. Take it. Your body is really weak."_

Yuutsuki bowed politely.

" _I will be back soon."_

The freezing wind hit her cheeks, lashing mercilessly as soon as she stepped outside. Her poor footwear hindered in such a simple activity as walking, resulting in arduous stroll towards the faint presence of Sesshoumaru's energy.

The girl could not precise how long she had been outdoor, for each minute in such tough circumstances felt like an hour, her dewy hair glued all over her neck and face, further exposing her feeble body to the penetrating cold. Suddenly, Sesshoumaru's presence settled around, and he teleported just next to her. His armour was partly covered in snow, likewise the silver hair tied up high, the kimono of his had several wet spots, proving he had been outside for a while.

" _You have recovered faster than I have expected."_

Yuutsuki rose up her head, a visible doubt in her eyes was present, mixed with fortitude. She clamped her fist on Tenseiga, stretching the sword towards Sesshoumaru. In result, he placed his hand over hers. Triggered by the sudden touch, she dropped the sword, making it disappear in the deep snow and quickly withdrew the hand as she looked up, finding his eyes focused on her.

" _Pride can be a virtue or an obstacle."_  The demon sighed, entirely conscious of her hesitancy, doubts and fears, he picked up the sword, placing it beneath his sash.  _"In your case, which one is it?"_

Yuutsuki was cold, even though she had not been out for long, her body was trembling in compulsive shivers. Ponders, thoughts and assumptions that had been haunting her mind had melt down under his warm, golden glance. Impulsively, bright visions of darkness hid themselves behind shadows of the two of them among hoary tree trunks, all her fears seemed distant and utterly inadequate.

" _I have no idea."_

Sesshoumaru nodded, somewhat disappointed at her reply, as accordingly to his opinion, the human clearly sought to restrain the interaction between them, nevertheless her reactions and responses toward him were genuinely proving diversely. Reluctant to foist a thing, he decided to refrain from expressing his opinion, in addition he was sure that his companion would join them soon and he preferred to avoid her overhearing their conversation. As he had though, it happened, Shizuka appeared next to him, shocked to see the human girl along with Sesshoumaru.

" _So she is not dead?! That is why you have been keeping me away from the village, not to sense her scent?"_  The female demon crossed her arms, pressing the fluffy overcoat tightly towards her body.

With a blank mind, Yuutsuki bowed abruptly, choosing to shun verbal skirmishes with his companion. Seeing them together was a perfect reason to distinct herself from Sesshoumaru and the feelings he had been prompting within her, a task she had been so reluctant to achieve.

" _I will return to the hut."_

Sesshoumaru muffled a growl, his anger was well justified, for the girl's self-contradictions caused by her fears and uncertainties had just widened.

" _No. I shall take you there."_  He effortlessly grabbed her forearm, keeping it hung in the air and Yuutsuki's startled eyes rose to his in doubt of his intentions.

" _My dear, were you not to take me to my mansion?"_ Shizuka's voice was furious, her demonic aura was swirling, randomly throwing sparkles of energy around.

" _You are perfectly capable of doing it yourself."_  The answer astounded both females, the girl feared to cause inconveniences to the western lord, despite detesting Shizuka, the urge of not wanting to be an obstacle proved to be stronger, therefore she threw in quietly:  _"I can go by…"_

" _So is she! She came here, so she can return!"_  Her barely audible words were rudely disturbed by Shizuka's jaunty voice, her lips were visibly trembling. Yuutsuki felt Sesshoumaru's warm hand twitch, undoubtedly out of irritation, he detested to hear objections.

" _I am honour bound to protect her, not you."_  The girl allowed an indistinct, triumphant grin to show on her face, also she could have sworn that Sesshoumaru had smirked as well upon hearing Shizuka's response.

" _That's the third time you put her first. When will this stop?"_

Sesshoumaru felt Yuutsuki's body quiver in cold, her completely wet hair pasted to her red cheeks, snowflakes hung on her eyelashes, such conditions certainly could conduce to a serious sickness, the meagre outfit did not stop the humidity from reaching her skin. Any further discussions in these conditions would unquestionably lead Yuutsuki to linger restricted for even a lengthier while. The demon was sincerely glad that the human had kept her habitual proud behaviour leashed, it would only cause more pointless arguments.

" _Why is there always a human on the way of our relationship?!"_  Sesshoumaru shook his head in disapproval.

" _We are merely associates."_ He suddenly pulled Yuutsuki closer, protecting her from a violent gust of wind and added:  _"The sooner you realize it, the better."_

Leaving the enraged female alone, Sesshoumaru teleported them to Kaede's hut, startling the priestess with their sudden arrival.

" _Give her dry clothing. I will wait outside."_

The old woman nodded, noticing Yuutsuki's glare following the demon until he exited the place.

" _Come child, don't let him wait long. I only have shrine outfit… Do you mind it?"_

" _No, not at all… Thank you."_  The wrinkled pair of hands passed folded, white-red robes and respecting her privacy, also left the hut. The days have been shorter and shorter, the dusk had started to settle around.

Ten minutes had passed, before a loud knock rang out, followed by Sesshoumaru's presence in the chamber, honestly she had not supposed he would return. The demon removed the overcoat and armour, sat comfortably against a wall, his affable eyes tried to read Yuutsuki's expression lit by the faint fire within the hut.

" _You did not expect me to seek you today."_  The girl bowed her head in an apologetic gesture, focusing her glance on the floor mats, she expected a rebuke.

" _Sit down, Yuutsuki."_  Surprised, she performed his command, trying to deduce his intentions.

" _Once Tadao and my half-breed brother return all of us will depart to finally cease Naraku's existence. Do you have any objections?"_

" _I do not."_

The demon closed his eyes and relaxed his drained body, listening to the fixed rhythm of her breaths. Not sure how to behave, Yuutsuki kept quiet, motionlessly observing his calm, aloof face.

He rapidly opened his eyes, expecting her gaze to stray off, however it remained daringly fixed on his, helping him to recall how bold that girl tended to be.

" _Come in."_

The door opened, inviting gusts of icy wind inside as Kaede entered the hut, bringing a middle-sized barrel along.

" _The night is cold. I have brought you some sake to warm up. Have a good night."_ Sesshoumaru nodded his head as the priestess withdrew herself, leaving them alone again. It did not take long before Yuutsuki was feeling tipsy, her vision was muzzy, delightful warmth had settled within her body.

Supporting her chin on arms, her head titled to a side, she tried to capture thoughts running through her head. Suddenly, an irresistible urge to bother the silent demon came over, not abandoning the consciousness, persuading her to do so. Thirsting for self-expression, she struck him with an avalanche of trifles and insignificant details of the future. To her great surprise Sesshoumaru was truly attentive to her words, appearing entertained by her unrelated stories, which only encouraged her to continue. Once the drink finished, the drowsiness took over Yuutsuki's body. The demon did not react as the intoxicated girl placed her head on his thighs and blatantly fell asleep, oblivious of how inappropriate it had been. Sesshoumaru sighed, throwing a disapproving stare at her rosy cheeks, yet he did not make a single move, pondering how long has it been since he had slept. His clawed hand almost unconsciously extended towards her hair, caressing it once. As he had anticipated, throughout the little time spent together, Yuutsuki had not inquired about Shizuka's appearance, evidently she deemed it incongruous to pry in his matters. The demon deepened himself in thoughts until the fire died out, dipping the chamber in dense darkness. The calm rhythm of her heart beat helped him to assuage, bringing a pacified stance, which resulted in him dozing off completely.

The sun once again peeped through the clouds and injected life into the winter raw landscape. The morning was shackled in silence, the fluttery snowflakes were drifting down abundantly in the fog of airy silence. Upon opening his eyes, Sesshoumaru looked down, under a slight shock that he actually had fallen asleep next to a human. Remarking Yuutsuki's unchanged position, he tapped her chilly cheek. The girl stretched out like a nimble cat, her eyes opened and once they crossed his, her glance stirred in abashment. She lifted herself up immediately, comprehending the range of temerity perpetrated by her imprudent action. Not carrying any offence at the act, to alleviate her sense of guilt he said:

" _Get ready and come out outside."_

Relieved, she nodded fervently, being grateful for disregarding the embarrassing action. Sesshoumaru picked up his armour and swords, granting her an indifferent look.

He led them out of the village, making the way easier for the human by treading through the snowbound fields. Upon reaching an open space, far enough from curious eyes of the villagers, he stopped and took out his sword.

" _I shall attack you. Protect yourself."_

Yuutsuki steadied her posture, unsheathed the Rens' sword and with the right hand gripped the gelid hilt, placing the other hand athwart on the blade, she closed her eyes in concentration as the wind whipped her face. The ring emanated the familiar warmth, bringing a surge of demon power within her body. Sesshoumaru set off, circling around her in a medium speed, awaiting a right moment to strike. Suddenly, he lunged and swung the sword as if to decapitate her. She could feel its passage whisking her hair as she narrowly ducked.

" _Did you forget how to fight?"_ His irate voice was so loud, so thunderously echoing in the empty space, that a tight feeling of fear knotted her stomach, conversely, releasing a boundless motivation to prove him wrong. Deeply breathing, she allowed more demon energy settle around her body, especially legs, and rushed towards him. Sesshoumaru did not anticipate such improvement in movement speed, he stood inertly, ready to guard whatever she had prepared. She swung the sword to the left, visibly to empower the offensive swipe to the right, yet in the last moment the blade swayed up, forcing the demon to move back abruptly. Yuutsuki had foreseen it and decided to strike from left to right, for typically the reverse was expected. Sesshoumaru smirked, favouring her rapid way of undertaking decisions, yet such juvenile tactics would not work on serious enemies, who would not only dodge, but also attack. In order to temper her bold strategy, instead of evading, he deflected the blow, he pushed the surprised girl to the ground. The demon attacked, assuming she would trundle and avoid the hit, however with burning determination in her eyes, she tried to withstand the clash of the swords. Despite using two hands, she would have been overpowered in an instant, if Sesshoumaru had not lessened his strength and backed off. Yuutsuki swore silently, noticing his leniency, verifying her inaptness. There was too big gap between them, she needed more power. Within the arm wielding the Rens' ring a burning sensation travelled through her veins.

To her great surprise, Sesshoumaru's demon energy suddenly exploded and he rushed towards her, slamming her to the ground. He tore out the sword form her hands, knelt above her and growled:

" _Pull it back, now!"_

Yuutsuki took a deep breath and fulfilled his demand silently.

" _I think you are misunderstanding something."_  The chill of the snowy ground was penetrating her body, pierced by Sesshoumaru's strong arms. Despite calm voice, the superior gaze was a sign of an upcoming reprimand. At that point, Sesshoumaru urged to subjugate the worrisome human, show her that she was in no position to overpower a full blooded demon, even with the sword's power.

" _Your task is to stay alive. You are mastering the sword in order to PROTECT yourself. If on battlefield a demon attacks you, your sword's skill are to enable you to RUN AWAY and hide behind my back."_

He let go of her hands, not moving his eyes from her pale as winter's moon face.

" _You are not a fighter. If you attack Naraku, you will die."_

Sesshoumaru got up and in slow steps began to recede, assuming she would follow. The girl did not move though, remained still, as the snowflakes were slowly making a white layer on her brown hair. Yuutsuki observed the ghostly-silver moon still visible on matt grey sky, thinking how right the silver-haired demon was. Suddenly, a strong pull occurred, bringing her back to full height. His effulgent golden eyes set her heart a-thump.

" _I will not allow a situation where you have to use it offensively."_  Unexpectedly, his hand parted the collars of her kimono, exposing a part of her cleavage.  _"So this…"_  His fingertips briefly touched the pale scar left after Kikyou's stiches.  _"Will never happen again."_


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (!) Warning (!) – in this chapter we actually do have some suggestive content.

" _And what happened later?!"_  Kagome covered her mouth in astonishment, sprinkling about the boiling water with a movement of excitement.

Yuutsuki deepened herself more into the hot spring's warmth, sporadically paying attention to Kagome and Sango's girly gossips. Apparently, the monk had tried to woo a young, royal dancer into bearing his child.

" _It is so embarrassing, but he actually touched the dancer's bottom and rubbed it."_  Sango was fuming with anger, giving additional redness to her cheeks.  _"But you know what, once the dancer took off the mask, Miroku's face was priceless."_  The demon slayer chuckled, recalling the vivid image, so delightful and treasured to her memory.

" _Why? Was she ugly?"_  The sparks of interested lightened up in Kagome's eyes.

" _Worse. It was a man!"_  Two girls laughed at the monk's misfortune, completely sure he had deserved it. Their happy glance moved to Yuutsuki, who was unconsciously keeping her hand on the chest scar. It had been the second day that the whole party reunited. Initially, it had been extremely hard to tame Inuyasha with the thought that Sesshoumaru would travel along until Naraku died, but since the half demon could not do a thing about it, he just plainly had accepted his older brother's companion, which had not been too pestering, for he had been keeping himself away, but still within the range if actions would need to be taken.

Kagome lost the slight smile as she uneasily said:  _"I sense something… Just for a second I sensed a presence approaching the village…"_ The girls rapidly got dressed, barely managing to dry their bodies and rushed back to the place of stay. Miroku and Inuyasha, sitting near sparkling fire of the hut, revealed nothing in their behaviour, as if in contradiction to Kagome's words of a threat coming.

" _Why so early?"_  The monk asked, sincerely oblivious of their reasons.

" _Didn't you sense it? Miroku? Inuyasha?"_ Kagome refused to acknowledge the possibility of a mistake. The half demon lifted the big, golden eyes in annoyance.

" _Huh? K'gome y're tired. I sense nothing. Don't you trust my nose?"_  He made a funny frown, meaningfully looking at the monk.

" _Have you seen Sesshoumaru?"_  Yuutsuki was uneasy about the situation.

" _He was around."_ Miroku closed his eyelids in thought and continued.  _"Although, he prefers to stay away. Well, anyway. You should all sit down and warm yourselves up."_

" _I think you are right. We better leave him alone."_  Kagome nodded to Sango's words. The five of them circled the fire, enjoying its warmth and soon deepened in a trivial conversation filled up with silly jokes.

The group was nourished by a delicious meal prepared by Miroku, which meliorated the already pleasant mood. The friends discussed their next place of visit, expressing hopes to encounter Naraku or at least a clue to his current location. Yuutsuki remained passively quiet, troubled about Sesshoumaru's prolonging absence, his presence had completely disappeared, leaving no trace behind, yet she was certain he was nearby and maybe not alone. The girl sincerely hoped that Tadao had returned, as he had promised several days before, however there was a possibility that the energy Kagome had sensed was Shizuka's. The anxiety lingered throughout the afternoon, consequently the whole night, for the dog demon had not returned. Yuutsuki barely slept, unable to bring herself to lie down and rest. As soon as the sky turned from black to light grey, she receded from the hut's fire, drawing a questioning glance of conscious Inuyasha.

" _I don't get why y're so worried about him."_  He embraced Tessaiga tighter, lowering his head.  _"If he wants, he'll return. If I were you I wouldn't bother."_

" _This is relative."_  Yuutsuki whispered out, afraid to wake up the rest.

" _What will you do if you never return home?"_  The query was so unforeseen, that she actually threw him an astonished look, pondering if he knew more than she had anticipated.

" _Listen, Yuutsuki."_  His eyes were staid, it was not just another small conversation.  _"Whatever there is between you and Sesshoumaru, it'll never get serious. He'll only play with you, because his status would never let him to see you as a proper candidate for him. If you get stuck here, you're better off giving your feelings to someone who can answer them."_

" _I am no fool Inuyasha, I have been aware of it all for a long time."_  Inuyasha scratched his head, saying:  _"So why do you…"_

" _However you might be wrong."_  The girl interrupted him roughly.  _"There are many aspects contradicting your words."_

" _What aspects?"_  The half demon's eyes met her stern, self-assured glare and frowned, puzzled by her unexpected answer. A recollection of Tadao's words about Sesshoumaru marking Rin entered her mind, serving as basis for the previous statement.

" _These are mine to keep."_  Prying in her business always brought a tone of aggression to her words.  _"As for now I focus on what I need to do in here and it includes interacting with Sesshoumaru. I am not trying to say you are wrong, I just want to be allowed to act accordingly to my own will."_

" _Remember, I've warned ya."_

" _And I appreciate it."_

" _Keh, whatever. Do as you wanna."_  Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders in a somewhat offended gesture and closed his eyes, continuing to rest. Taking the opportunity, she grabbed her sword and stormed out from the hut.

Twenty minutes of treading through the murky forest resulted in nothing, not a trace of Sesshoumaru's presence, nor of anyone to be exact. It was actually a pleasure to stroll through the forest that morning. The buds of the plants and flowers slept beneath a blanket of white and gentle sun rays had made that cold dawn seem warmer. She walked slowly, inhaling the icy air, allowing the wind to ruffle her hair. Suddenly, the forest thinned out, brining vision to a lake, its surface layered with thin ice. The scenery was stunning, in fact so beautiful, that Yuutsuki, enchanted by shafts of light pouring onto the lake did not sense a presence nearby, therefore unaware of a pair of eyes observing her, looking up through the veil of her bushy hair she turned her face towards the fiery ball in the sky. A sound of crumbled snow reached her ears, forcing her to point the sword towards it with a flinch of fear. The girl lowered it immediately, falling under the intense, steady gaze of the lord of the west.

" _Who would expect such a lake in the middle of a forest?"_  She spoke softly, placing her eyes at the fulgent landscape.

" _It is equivalently unexpected as you finding me here. My presence is concealed."_  He approached closer, standing barely an arm stretch away from her. With a dainty smile, Yuutsuki casually faced him.  _"Only pure luck could guide me."_

Several minutes of silence befell between them and yet some consolation entered Yuutsuki's chest, rejoicing her that Sesshoumaru remained close. The demon sighed, an unreadable expression stuck to his face.

" _Dawn and a recollection of you seem inseparable."_ Too sleepy to accurately associate what he was saying, and overwhelmed by the intensity of his voice, Yuutsuki found herself shaking her head in denial.

" _I have nothing in common with the sun."_  She rubbed her tired eyes against the ragged sleeve of traditional priestess kimono.

" _You are more of a moon person indeed."_  The demon lifted up his eyebrows, surprised at the coherence of their opinions.

" _Moon, huh? I think the same of you. A guiding light that easily leaves you clueless."_

" _I fail to see the basis of your conclusion."_  Yuutsuki smiled slightly, humbly lowering her eyes. A couple of heart beats passed before Sesshoumaru slowly spoke again.

" _Did you sense anything from the ring? Any nullifying signs?"_

" _No. Are we… not alone?"_

Sesshoumaru nodded and Yuutsuki looked around, wondering how his face could remain like a mask of indifference in the given circumstances.

" _Naraku shares the smell with his underlings. It is vexing."_  A big, thick root exploded from the ground, aiming for them with an insane speed. Yuutsuki caught a glimpse of a figure in a baboon pelt jumping behind the trees while Sesshoumaru took out his sword and with a low growl, he shouted:

" _Souryuuha!"_  A powerful, pale blue light channelled out of the sword, creating a dragon shaped energy, which easily countered the enemy attack and dispersed it.

" _You have not altered your battle strategy, Naraku. Once you gather up enough of courage, come and face me!"_

Yuutsuki gasped, feeling a sudden presence behind, she swung her sword in the direction of the feeling, but there was nothing there. Sesshoumaru crinkled his eyes and rushed towards the girl. He pointed his sword at her and lunged just next to the brown curls. Behind her, the head of the baboon's figure flew up in the air, exploding with dense, poisonous gas. The demon tightly covered her mouth and nose with his hand, making it impossible for her to breathe in the toxins and jumped up, then transported them several meters away to a safe place. Naraku's hell wasps appeared all around, enraging the western lord. His claws glowed green, releasing his poisonous whip and killing most of them in one swing. The rest of them showered the couple with their stings and flew away. As a great demon, Sesshoumaru feared not any kind of poison, but for the human protection, before the stings had gotten closer, he had sent a wave of demon energy, hoping to deflect them all. The expression of pain on the girl's face ensured him he had not succeeded. Noticing blood stain on her left upper arm, he yanked the material of the kimono, exposing the three stings implanted into her skin, progressively sinking in deeper.

" _Sesshoumaru… What is it…?"_

He took out two of them with claws, however the third had already flattened along Yuutsuki's skin. The demon growled in annoyance and shortly looked into the dark, scared eyes of hers.

" _Do not move."_

Sesshoumaru tilted down, without any hesitation his lips stuck to her arm in order to suck and spit out the remaining sting and poison. Upon finishing, he rubbed some snow against the wound, clearing the arm from the remaining blood.

" _I smell no more poison. However you have taken some of it in."_

Black spots appeared in front of Yuutsuki's eyes, her vision went blurry. She tried to express her gratitude, but no words were uttered. The demon caught the falling human and sighed, not expecting her to lose consciousness so fast and the golden eyes locked on half opened lips of hers as he wondered if this growing addiction would lead him to lose everything he had, or would it gradually abolish them mutually.

/

Shizuka's head turned away, her lips tightened in a forceful grin. She observed as a snowflake drift lightly onto her shoulder, it looked almost like a crystal made of cotton. Snowflakes fell continuously onto her arms, chest and her pale palms and immediately melted into the transparent colour of water.

" _I don't wish to hear any more of your lies."_  A loud laugh spread around and a figure in baboon pelt appeared next to the female demon.

" _This is reality and it will get much worse. Take over your fate, change it with your own hands, lady Shizuka!"_

She remained silent, trying to guess his real motives.

" _Once the obstacle is gone, nothing will stand on your way to become the lady of the west. There is no woman more worthy of that title than you. Do not allow a mere human to steal your place!"_ Naraku lively circled the demon, his poisonous bugs swirling around him.

" _If I kill her, Sesshoumaru will never forgive me. I decline."_

" _Do not kill her. Break her."_  The female's surprised face focused, hoping to hear more details.

" _What do you mean?"_

" _Either force her to return to the future or force her to abandon lord Sesshoumaru."_  The figure's hand caressed Shizuka's sharp face.  _"The second one is easy to achieve. You are a pretty woman, you can easily seduce the western lord. Find a way for the human to see you both in the most intimate situation."_  He laughed upon seeing a smile crawling up her face.  _"That human is extremely proud, she will never treat him the same way. Who knows? Maybe she will return due to this abasement? Hm?"_

" _This will not work. His keen senses will warn him of her approaching."_

Naraku took out a small bottle from his inner pelt and passed it to Shizuka.

" _Before you meet him, use it as perfumes. His senses should be besotted for around two hours. Good luck, lady Shizuka!"_  The laugh spread once more and Naraku disappeared from her sight.

/

Sunlight spilled through the punctured door, taking away the sleepiness completely. The girl sat down abruptly, still under a strong influence of poison, her muzzy sight surveyed around the room, noticing the demon siblings sitting next to each other, both of them focused their golden eyes on her.

" _Oi! K'gome! She's awake!"_ Inuyasha screamed out and straightened to his full height. The priestess barged in, her face red out of anger. She stood next to Inuyasha and put her hands on her waist.

" _Listen Yuu-chan! Think twice before you meet up with this churlish demon."_ Sesshoumaru frowned, a dangerous light lit in his eyes.  _"He always brings you wounded, you always get hurt around him! He didn't even bother telling us what happened! He brings you unconscious, puts you on the mat and sits down, not allowing anyone to get closer!"_

Yuutsuki waved her palms, signalling Kagome to calm down.  _"Naraku's insects attacked us, I have taken three stings."_ She turned her head towards the lord of the west and lowered it, closing her eyes.  _"I have fainted before managing to express my gratitude. Thank you."_  Sesshoumaru nodded his head in acknowledgement.

" _Naraku?! Was it actually him?!"_  Inuyasha screamed out.

" _A mere mud clone filled up with poisons."_  Yuutsuki shivered at the recollection.  _"I would have died if I were alone."_

" _You'd be fine if you stayed instead of following this arrogant bastard!"_  The half demon growled out. Sesshoumaru lift up his sword, aiming it at his throat.

" _We can settle it once and for all, mutt."_

" _Fine by me!"_  Tessaiga transformed, firmly placed in Inuyasha's hands.

" _Let's all calm down! The most important fact is that Yuutsuki is fine! C'mon, lower your sword Inuyasha…"_  She walked in between the brothers, nervously laughing.  _"It is my fault for exploding like this… Inuyasha!"_  Kagome put her hands on his, forcing him to sheathe Tessaiga. Sesshoumaru threw a demeaning look at the couple, however he also lowered his sword.

" _I will be nearby."_  He disappeared, leaving the three of them inside.

" _You should be grateful, Inuyasha, I have saved you!"_  Kagome smacked the half demon's fluffy head.

" _Keh. Whatever. Let's join Sango and Miroku, they might have troubles with the task alone."_

" _What task?"_  Yuutsuki curiously asked.

" _We have been asked to exterminate demons from the adjoining village. You can stay here, we will be back before the night."_ The priestess answered cheerfully.  _"Ah, we have left you some dinner and a kimono. It is nothing special, but certainly better than one with a ragged sleeve."_

" _Thank you! I am sorry for not being able to go with you."_

" _Don't worry about it! C'mon Inuyasha, let's go!"_  Yuutsuki waved her hand as they left the hut. The meal cancelled out the leftovers after dizziness, bringing her the will to change outfit. It was already quite worn out material, but it would serve well its purpose. She had finished just in time, for a familiar presence appeared around.

Yuutsuki grabbed her sword in a protective manner, pondering about the reason of the female demon's visit. Shizuka appeared in front of her, bestowing her with a hateful glance.

" _I do not even know why I am doing this. For the respect of lord Sesshoumaru, I guess."_  She spoke haughtily, crossing her arms on her chest. Yuutsuki listened in silence.

" _There is a cave ten minutes away from the village, towards the east forest. Lord Sesshoumaru wants you to come there."_  Shizuka turned her back at the human.  _"I can't bear looking at your face anymore. Be sure to be there so I do not have to come to pick you up."_

" _I will go there."_ Unseen to Yuutsuki's eyes, Shizuka grinned, happy to see her plan working.

" _Good. Let's hope I do not have to see you again."_

" _Likewise."_

Shizuka left the hut, rushing towards impeding Sesshoumaru.

/

Their paths met in the middle of a meadow, the densely falling snow created a thin white layer on both of them.

" _What do you want from Ren Yuutsuki? Why did you go to her?!"_  Sesshoumaru growled out, steam coming out along with his words.

" _Your presence is well concealed, I assumed you would be with her. I have something to share, my dear."_  Shizuka shook the snow off her shoulders, smoothly lying in his face. _"Let us take shelter in that cave."_

The female lead the way, content despite the western lord's reluctant expression. She took off her outer coat and beckoned him with the hand gesture.

" _Naraku came to me and tried to persuade me to join him."_ Sesshoumaru did not move an inch, carefully listening to her words.  _"He wanted me to ask your honourable mother to send warriors to kill the human and propose her to make me your intended mate."_

Sesshoumaru's glare grew icier, granting doubts to Shizuka's mind.

" _I declined, of course. I know you wish for none of it. But I assumed, he would try to approach me again. That's why I am going to leave the western lands."_

His expression changed slightly, pleasing the female demon.

" _I came to say goodbye…forever."_  She entangled her arms around him and began kissing his neck.

" _Tell me, my dear, have you marked the human yet?"_  Shizuka whispered to his ear, while taking off her kimono.

" _That is none of your concern."_ He said cooly, however no enmity in his voice.

" _I see that not. Then grant me a last favour, a parting gift…"_ Like always, he had avoided being kissed in the lips, nonetheless he did not push her away. Contrariwise, he allowed his clothing to be removed and quickly took the lead over Shizuka's little play. It was not the one he craved for, yet he was bound to none. The demon blood boiled upon seeing his companion naked and a weird dizziness settled around his head. He blamed it on growing desire, not expecting it to be a part of Shizuka's sinister plan. Before the female gave herself to him, she made sure his back would face the entrance of the cave, for she awaited the human's miserable expression.

/

Yuutsuki found the cave easily, curious why Sesshoumaru had called her to such a place. She carefully climbed up to it, being cautious of slippery stones underneath the snow. Sounds of female's moaning reached her ears, stopping her short on her tracks.

" _Sesshoumaru…"_  Shizuka's panting voice was well audible. Yuutsuki's heart began to pound faster, and fear as if a tight knot in the stomach stopped her from breathing much. The view awaiting her was too obvious, however, haunted with disbelief, the girl entered the cave.

The image of the lovers paralyzed her so much, that even upon seeing Shizuka's triumphant smile, she could not move, fearful to catch Sesshoumaru's attention. She urged to leave the place, remove the image from her head, but her feet did not respond, as if carved out of stone.

" _Sesshoumaru, darling, someone is here…"_  Shizuka said, not even hiding laugh in her voice. The golden eyes met Yuutsuki's boundlessly scared face and she felt as if her body was falling down from great heights. He did not belong to her, yet the scene hurt her significantly. There were no tears flooding the dark eyes, only disbelief mixed with fear and disappointment at herself and him. She immediately regretted having shown signs of her fondness towards him, that feeling brought embarrassment with a sour bile of humiliation. Yuutsuki recalled Inuyasha's words from earlier that day and a mocking smirk cast over her face. Despite that the girl had been cognizant of their relationship, actually experiencing it with her own eyes was painful, even if she realized that Shizuka had set it all up. Turning away came easier than she had previously anticipated and she left them alone again, slowly walking towards the village.

Sesshoumaru put on his robes and with a calm, low voice he said:

" _You have planned it all. You have invited her here."_

Shizuka smiled appealingly, not trying to deny a thing.

" _Once you will thank me for that."_  Sesshoumaru's head turned towards her, exposing his disturbing expression. Despite reserved face and unruffled voice, his eyes were fuming with desperation and resentment.

" _You have robbed me of her trust. You have joint your forces with Naraku. You have robbed yourself of my trust. That makes you an enemy."_  Shizuka's grin vanished, she stood frozen, frightened of his actions. Frankly, he felt wretched, impatient to discharge his tension by passing judgement upon the sneaky woman. He would not be so strict if not for the fact that it had been all Naraku's intention, he had manipulated Shizuka in order to bring misery to them all, just like once upon killing Rin.

Sesshoumaru rapidly and suddenly grasped tightly the other demon's neck with his left hand and slowly lifted his other arm, which proceeded to take a ninety degree "L" shape, while his fingers formed a firm straight position, making his limb resemble a sharp spear. With no further announcement, Sesshoumaru sprang his right arm at Shizuka's chest, piercing it straight through, with the same velocity withdrew it and rested it while the blood dripped from his fingers.

" _I did it for your benefit… Sesshoumaru!"_ She screamed as his iron hand squeezed her throat, letting in his deadly poison to her veins through his claws. Shizuka injured his arm, kicked him blindly with her legs, in vain for the grasp only tightened. The last thing she experienced was the view of furious, golden eyes ogling her unpityingly.

/

Yuutsuki allowed her mind to run wild during a small training, allowing her to comprehend that nothing actually had happened as only a fool could think that several flirty situations would oblige Sesshoumaru to anything. The pain she had felt upon seeing him today was due to her over-romantic nature, overgrown hopes and inability to understand their actual relation. Any further ado around the issue would only put her in an uncomfortable position.

The sun was still high in the sky, Inuyasha and the rest would not come back anytime. The girl sheathed the sword and decided to tour around the village. There was barely anyone outside, however an old woman was walking around the village's well. As soon as Yuutsuki approached her, just casually passing by, the old woman walked towards her and grasped her hands tightly. She had weirdly sunken, fogged eyes and it did not take long to understand that she was not human. The girl desperately tried to free herself, but her arms were locked in the inhuman grab. Suddenly, a slash of light cut the hands holding her and she was free again. Sesshoumaru gracefully landed next to her, just to jump again and pierce the monster. Once sliced in half, the corpse released a dosage of Naraku's miasma which spread around rapidly. The demon lord grabbed Yuutsuki's waist and took her out of the dangerous area. His kimono was different and the silver hair was tied up high, fully exposing the markings on his cheekbones.

" _Be more careful."_  Sesshoumaru's voice proved to be harder on the ear than she had expected. His arm released the grasp and he created three steps distance between them.

" _Thank you."_  Yuutsuki realized it had sounded indifferently, but she did not manage to say a word more, kept quiet while choosing not to meet his glance.

" _I have killed Shizuka."_ The girl's shocked eyes immediately met his aloof expression. She could not understand why he would share this information so casually, when just a few hours ago he had mated with her.

" _She joined forces with Naraku. Today's occurrence was in his intentions. I assume he wants to separate you from me. He fears the Rens' ring."_

She felt the need to apologize for intruding his privacy that day, however since Shizuka was dead, it seemed meaningless at that point.

" _That's cruel…"_  The words left her lips daringly. A gust of wind caused her to shiver in cold as he asked dryly:  _"What is?"_

" _Have you thought it was in his intentions for you to kill your own mate?"_ He looked at her carefully, judging her current state. Her attitude towards him seemed improbably unfazed by the events she had experienced that day.

" _I am nor was a mate to no one. She became an enemy and my enemies always find their demise in my hands."_

Sesshoumaru was firm in his answer, but a waft of doubt had appeared in his mind. He had noticed Yuutsuki's weirdly changed approach, and even though it was desired to avoid such personal conversation, he could not abstain from asking:

" _Has this event planted a seed of fear in your heart? Did you grow to be frightened?"_

" _I am not afraid."_ She looked straight into his eyes and added:  _"I am not so easy to scare. I do not have the good sense of danger until it is too late, you see. Anyway, once more, thank you for saving me. I will definitely be more careful from now on."_  Not sure how to break that bizarre conversation, she casually turned away and walked towards the hut she had been staying in. Sesshoumaru followed closely, not entirely sure why, for there was nothing to discuss, and as for protection, he could do it from distance. The sound of crushed snow ceased as Yuutsuki stopped abruptly and he mechanically did the same. The girl's small fists tightened and her head lowered, swaying the long hair slightly.

" _I am sorry to have intruded your privacy…"_

The demon paid no attention to her words, sensing something odd about the environment. He looked around and sniffed the air repeatedly in order to find the source of that impression.

In an instant, Sesshoumaru relocated ahead of Yuutsuki with his sword still unsheathed in front of his face, at the same time, the familiar sound of metal hitting metal was audible and a shiny and very fine needle dropped to the ground masking itself among the vegetation on the ground.  
 _"What was that?"_ The girl was puzzled at the sudden and unexpected attack. The demon had no time to answer, for he was forced to repeat the previous action, only this time many more time and in quick succession. An uncountable amount of these fine, and apparently lethal objects decorated the floor in front of the demons feet and without losing his defensive stance he uttered:

" _I felt three presences for a short instant, whatever our foes are, they excel at making themselves hidden."_

Such information coming from the lord of the west was worthy of special notice from Yuutsuki who also took a defensive posture. As both looked around trying to find any signs of the source of the needles, a sphere entirely composed of the same objects which were being hurled at them, fell from above and slowly rolled next to them. As if by instinct, the couple swiftly moved and each took cover behind a tree fearing an explosion from the sphere.

" _Keep close attention to your ring, if our foes are Naraku's minions, it's possible they are carrying a shard among them."_ Sesshoumaru proclaimed while looking at the branches above him and adjacent trees. The enemies' remarkable ability to hide had struck some fear into Yuutsuki since she was not sure of being capable of reacting fast enough in case of a potential attack. She had not much time to ponder about her dreads but instead, she experienced them at their fullest due to a ghastly figure standing no more than a few centimetres from her. The presence was so dreadfully faint, that to actually see its pale face cemented the girl in her position, unable to speak, let alone shout.

Sesshoumaru found the lack of communication from his female companion odd and concluded something had happened. With a quick leap he arrived behind the tormenting figure and sliced it clean in half, the latter simply dissolved in the air as dark smoke, leaving way to the immobile girl, still insipid from fright. The demon offered his hand to help Yuutsuki onto her feet and even though still weary, she took her hand to his and gripped it. Sesshoumaru found her hand to be rather cold and her clasp unusually strong and it had not took him long to realize he was not grasping the girl's hand, but the hand of a trap into which he had fallen. Sesshoumaru reached for his sword to cut himself loose from the clench but to no avail, for it had been robbed and before he could try anything else, a large rocky fist wrapped his torso and under his feet an underworld portal had opened. Sesshoumaru recognized the portal, it was the same as his sword's and in a very quick manner, the grip in his hand loosened and the rocky creature jumped into the portal taking the demon with it.

Yuutsuki opened her eyes, still feeling drowsy as if she had been drinking, around her everything stood the same expect Sesshoumaru was not present. She tried to recollect her memory and only the grim expression of her attacker remained.


	19. Chapter 19

A skinny, veiny hand helped her out to her feet, and a pair of widely opened, sunken, however amiable eyes of the elder she had previously met just in the beginning of her journey in that era watched her carefully.

" _I have seen it all… No good, no good…"_  Totosai sighed, rubbing his hand against his nearly bold head.  _"Who are you anyway?"_

" _Ren, Yuutsuki. What happened to lord Sesshoumaru?"_  The blacksmith dropped on the ground, visibly resigned and worried.

" _Ren… I see…"_  He shook his head in denial _. "Lord Sesshoumaru was tricked into an illusion. He believed you to be the target of the assault, but in reality, the real aim was to take him away from you and mainly, Naraku. He might not ever come back…taken to a different dimension… Underworld… What did it come to… That's not good, not good…"_

The elder rapidly got up and approached his characteristic three-eyed ox, not minding the girl anymore.

" _Excuse me!"_  She caught up to him, unsure if he had heard, she kept speaking. _"Please tell me if there is anything I can do to help him_!" Totosai tried clumsily to climb on his animal as he said clearly:

" _I will send word to lady Kimi. She might be able to find a solution. I am not usually rude, but…"_ he continued, in a tone that threatened rudeness in every syllable.  _"A mere human can do nothing. You must quietly wait and hope he'll return."_

Yuutsuki's stomach twisted in fear, realizing how grim Sesshoumaru's circumstances were. The girl grasped the old man's shoulder and her stern eyes locked on his dark irises. She was cognizant of the peril of Sesshoumaru's mother discovering her whereabouts, for Tadao's effort would fade in vain.

" _You mustn't tell lady Kimi I am here. Lord Sesshoumaru took actions to keep my location secret. Can you reach Tadao for me?"_

Totosai freed himself from her grasp and finally climbed on to the ox.

" _I'll contact him. I will also keep quiet about you. If Sesshoumaru ever comes back, I don't want to be treated with his poisonous claws. I treasure my safety over Lady Kimi's whims. Now go to Inuyasha, staying alone is too dangerous!"_

The ox flew in the air, leaving the girl alone, who kept her posture bent in appreciation until his figure disappeared from her vision. A paralyzing sensation of dread haunted her body, crawling up her spine as she rotated and confronted the same ghastly figure as before.

" _Go away…"_  Her speech was cracked and saturated with fright, she set off like an arrow, fleeing from whatever threat it could pose. Yuutsuki's chest hurt from stimulus exposure to penetrating cold, each and every breath seemed like a million daggers piercing her lounges. Nevertheless, she continued to tread through deep snow, directing herself towards the adjoining village where Inuyasha and the rest had been performing their work.

Apparently, her legs had refused to support her body, bringing her to her knees. The panic and ceaseless fear brought tears to her wide opened eyes, blurring out her vision completely. Was it still chasing her? She looked around, yet there was nothing but the surrounding white landscape. The lonely sounds of deep inhale and exhale were worsening her already shaken state, her posture uncurled once she detected the familiar, yet distant aura of the attacker rapidly approaching. The demon lord had been seized in the underworld, whilst she knew no way of helping him. Regardless of how strong she had intended to be, there was no contradicting that without Sesshoumaru she tended to curl up and hope someone would aid her soon, but not this time. With sudden confidence, Yuutsuki walked back for several meters, protectively grabbing the Rens' sword in case of an attack. The previously felt presence did not approach closer, keeping its constant distance and the girl trusted the ghastly demon surely would be able to renew the portal to underworld. Around the ring a warmth of protection settled and the sword's power entered her body, altering her speed significantly. In no time she caught up to the demon, facing its terrifying appearance directly. Despite harsh and violent gusts of wind, several drops of cold sweat ran down her face, a sign of panic overtaking her body.

" _Bring back Sesshoumaru…"_  The arduous, heated voice she had urged to utter turned out to be feeble and insecure, barely audible.

" _Bring him back!"_  Louder, but not more convincing words left her mouth. Her slightly shaking hand stretched out along with the sword, pointing the tip of it where the figure's throat should be and at the same time, swirls of the demon's profound aura securely tangled around the weapon, freezing its potential actions. The shadow swirls took form of tentacles, grasped her feet and the other arm, completely robbing the girl of any freedom of movement.

A swift, shiny arrow buzzed next to her ear, piercing the demon and instantaneously purifying it, leaving no trace of its existence. The acquainted, dark haired priestess, Kikyou appeared from behind the trees, still holding her bow alertly. Yuutsuki's eyes were nervous, a flicker of angry tears appeared inside.

" _Why…"_  The girl kicked a nearby tree trunk, destroying a small mountain of snow covering it.  _"It was my only lead to Sesshoumaru!"_

The priestess took the explosion of rage rather sensibly, omitting her question she casually began to talk.  _"I've felt the portal opening. I see. So Sesshoumaru's been trapped inside…"_  One of her soul collectors shape shifted, turning into a glossy ball of sparkling energy.  _"Hold my hands and imagine Sesshoumaru."_

Uncertain of the motives and not entirely convinced of the actual purpose, Yuutsuki quite reluctantly fulfilled her command. Under Kikyou's chilly touch she recalled the blissful feeling accompanying Sesshoumaru's protection and presence.

" _I was misguided…"_  Kikyou's eyes wandered towards Yuutsuki's wrist in disbelief, studying her skin warily.

" _I was sure you had been marked. Without this connection we cannot communicate with him. I am sorry."_  The priestess said gloomily with an aloof expression and released the girl's limb, which fell down lifelessly, mirroring the broken hope in her heart.

" _I do not know on what you base your assumptions, but Sesshoumaru does not harbour such feelings towards me."_  The priestess' empty and unfocused gaze hung on the girl, annoying her a little bit.  _"Is there anything else we can do?"_ Yuutsuki received no answer, Kikyou's eyes widened, as if she fell into some kind of trance.

" _Kikyou!"_  The well-known, brisk, slightly hoarse voice spread around and a minute afterwards Kagome, Inuyasha and the rest joined them. Kikyou was motionless, still deepened in the weird stance. Yuutsuki shortly introduced the circumstances to all of them, hoping they could come up with a solution.

" _There is no problem, Sesshoumaru has Tenseiga."_  Miroku belittled Yuutsuki's worry.

" _He doesn't."_  Kikyou's voice startled the five of them.  _"It's been stolen by Naraku's reincarnation, the same one that created the illusion and opened the portal, Byakuya of the Dream."_

Inuyasha closed his eyes and focused, straining his senses. The half demon placed his hand on the hilt of Tessaiga and after a silent second, the sword began to shake repeatedly.

" _This bastard did not leave the village yet! I can sense Tenseiga!"_

They returned to the village, tracing Naraku's reincarnation. He was waiting for them, with a cheeky, wide smile on his face, swinging Tenseiga around.

" _I, Byakuya of the Dream have a deal for Yuutsuki Ren."_  He politely bowed his head, greeting the group.

" _I don't care about your deal! Return the sword and bring back Sesshoumaru!"_ Inuyasha jumped in the air and attacked the enemy, screaming loudly. His earnest attempts were easily dodged, Byakuya relocated just next to Yuutsuki and starling her entirely, he whispered to her ear.

" _If I get that pretty ring of yours, I will give you the sword."_  After that, performing a half turn, he immediately returned to his previous location.

" _I will give you the ring if you bring Sesshoumaru back."_  Yuutsuki's confident words brought shocked glances over her.

" _What are you saying?! You cannot give it up!"_  Kagome screamed out in disbelief.  _"Sesshoumaru wouldn't want you to do it!"_

" _If I get the ring, you get the sword. Sesshoumaru might be dead already, regardless of his strength, there are millions of undead fighting him. But you can always try to open the portal and see for yourself if he will jump out or not."_  Byakuya laughed, his radiant face showed no fear of Inuyasha's incoming slash.

" _I will get the sword, Yuutsuki. So be quiet and do not give up anything!"_  The half demon unleashed the wind scar at the opponent, too slowly to injure. Byakuya was evading Inuyasha's attacks so gracefully, creating an illusion of a well-coordinated dance.

" _Besides, who would use the sword to open the portal? I doubt Inuyasha is capable of instantly mastering Tenseiga. I am not even including you, since you would be left with no possibilities to use the sword."_  Miroku explained, while watching the skirmish in a great tension.

" _At least the maker, Totosai should be able to use it. Also, there is a chance that Sesshoumaru's mother or a close general of his could use it. There is something more important to that. Once you give up the sword, you give up your duty. It means Sesshoumaru would have no business with you anymore."_ Having Sesshoumaru alive despite losing her privileges as the ring's wielder was undoubtedly better than having him dead and keep them. Yuutsuki was reflecting at Kikyou's statement as Byakuya's words reached her ears.

" _Have you decided yet? Let me hear the answer."_ The same spectre that had attacked her before appeared and its cold aura embraced Yuutsuki, teleporting her away from the place.

" _Damn it!"_  Inuyasha jumped a second too late to interrupt the teleport.  _"Why didn't you all attack?! What do we do now?"_ The half demon angrily shouted out neglecting the fact he was actually the fastest of the group and in spite this, was not quick enough.

" _That was a mere illusion, Inuyasha…"_  Miroku scratched his head.

" _Why didn't you tell me?!"_ He raged attempting to toss the blame at someone.

" _I thought it was obvious to everyone…"_  Miroku threw a mocking glance.

" _I saw that…"_ Sango pointed out amused at the demons confused expression.

" _Inuyasha you need to pay more attention."_ Kagome yarned, such events were all too common for the half demon dog.

The monk continued _. "Now we do have a problem. Yuutsuki will likely give up the ring. Our only advantage shall disappear."_

" _Inuyasha and I will go to Totosai. If she does exchange the ring for the sword let's at least have him in here ready to open the portal. The faster we get Sesshoumaru out of there, the better."_  Kagome climbed on Inuyasha's back and they left in a rush.

" _Lady Kikyou, can you locate Yuutsuki?"_ Sango sighed in relief once the priestess nodded favourably.

/

Yuutsuki fell to her knees, colliding with the ground painfully. She took out her sword in fear of an attack. Byakuya was casually standing in front of her, genuinely surprised at her attitude.

" _I am a man of peace. I don't intend to attack my trade partner. How about an incentive? Let's check out if lord Sesshoumaru is alive."_  The demon detached his eye and it disappeared, teleporting to somewhere unknown, just to come back within a heartbeat.

" _Touch it."_  He passed his eyeball to her.  _"I know. It is disgusting. But there is no other way to it."_

Yuutsuki touched the slimy thing and an image appeared in her head, bringing tears to her eyes. Sesshoumaru was standing alone, unarmed among many, fighting with undead craving to take away his life. His silver hair was ruffled, blood dripping from his clenched teeth, his clothing ragged. The image disappeared, yet her tears kept on flowing.

" _I will give you the ring, please, can you let him out of there?"_

" _This I cannot. I am generous as it is. Along with Tenseiga I can give you the other sword of his. Only if you decide yourself fast, that is."_  He exposed the other Rens' sword and made a suggestive gesture with his eyebrows.  _"So? Since you know he is alive? What will you do?"_

She was well aware that she had to protect the ring with her life, never give it up regardless of any circumstances. However, she was alone in an unidentified location, defenceless towards the demon. She could attempt lengthening their negotiations and lose more time while awaiting rescue, come to an agreement and give up the ring while gaining a real chance of freeing Sesshoumaru or refuse and lose all, including life.

" _You have a minute to decide."_

Well, the first one seemed to be out of question.

" _What if I try to take Tenseiga by force?"_ A familiar sensation of demon energy spreading entered her body.

" _Ah I get it. It will look bad if you just give up…"_ Byakuya smiled and threw two of his origami with insane speed. One of them cut her left cheek, opening a shallow, yet abundantly bleeding wound. The second one flew just next to her ear, successfully capturing her attention as Byakuya jumped and threw an origami dagger, stabbing her right hand. He had sensed her intentions and successfully prevented her from taking actions.

" _Now you do look like you had a fight."_  Yuutsuki's breath increased rapidly when she took out the paper dagger and observed the dense, red blood flowing from her shaky hand. Wielding a sword was impossible as for now.

" _So. Do we trade?"_  The cheeky tone of his voice entirely convinced her that either she would voluntarily give away the ring or she would indisputably be killed. The girl slipped off the beautiful jewel and stretched her bleeding hand towards him. Once the ring left her possession, a tight feeling of wrongdoing clenched around her throat, making it difficult to breathe. Byakuya dropped both swords on the ground and before leaving, he hummed:

" _It was a pleasure to meet you."_

Yuutsuki had been wearing the ring for such a long time that once it was gone, a burning sensation of guilt settled on the finger that used to wield it. There was no regret in her decision, only sadness. Experiencing the image of Sesshoumaru in such dangerous situation had devastated her, shattering any hesitancy away. She looked at the pair of identical swords unsure of her following actions, one older, one much fresher, yet both of them had a word carved out. Return.

Fortunately, not much afterwards she noticed Kikyou's soul collector and followed the spirit as it lead her back to the village.

/

The four friends awaited Inuyasha and Kagome's return in silence. No words of contempt had been uttered, yet Yuutsuki could sense the disapproving attitude hung in the air. An hour or maybe two had passed before the party returned, bringing Totosai along. Not asking much, the elder man grabbed Tenseiga and performed a slash, followed by no effect.

" _Ah well, one more time."_

He repeated the gesture, opening a big, black portal to underworld. Yuutsuki dared not to blink, awaiting Sesshoumaru to jump out and most importantly, be unharmed.

" _Is he dead?"_  Kagome asked in fear.

A couple of minutes waiting did not prove to be rewarding, for the portal had closed, not a trace of Sesshoumaru.

" _As I thought…"_  Totosai dropped the sword.  _"I've informed lady Kimi. She probably opened the portal herself. She can do it easily without the sword's power. You are going to be in troubles, Yuutsuki Ren!"_

" _What do you mean by that?"_  Kagome asked worried, noticing Yuutsuki's pale face.

" _It means I gave the ring away for free."_  The girl's mouth barely moved while speaking. She supported her back on a tree and closed her eyes, cynically thinking about her good fortune.

" _I said that all you can do is to wait. It's your own fault."_

" _It's not like that, Totosai. Byakuya forced her. It's my fault because I couldn't take the sword back."_ Inuyasha growled with clenched fists.  _"Is there a punishment for losing the ring?"_  The monk asked quietly.

" _I wouldn't know. But I imagine Sesshoumaru won't be too happy… Well, anyway, I certainly don't want to be here once he arrives. Bye!"_  Totosai left on his ox, leaving the party in a grim mood. Kikyou also decided to go on with her original path, reducing the group to five.

/

The dry, winter air brought a mixed scent of Shizuka, Naraku and Sesshoumaru, leading the demon to a cave nearby his place of destination. Sensing danger, Tadao readied himself for an attack, his movements were noiseless and the moment he noticed Byakuya, he also noticed Yuutsuki's ring being fiddled in the demon's hand. Tadao attacked swiftly, taking advantage of the enemy unawareness of his presence. He captured the ring and twisted Byakuya's hand, crashing his wrist.

" _Did you hurt the Ren's girl?"_ Tadao's voice was emotionless, despite the view of naked corpse of Shizuka.

" _I have a feeling I won't be able to retrieve the ring from you. Maybe we'll talk next time."_  Byakuya created a shower of origami, hoping he would be able to sneakily steal away the ring, however Tadao had it tightly grasped within his hand, making the wish unmanageable. Acknowledging his strength's inferiority, the enemy disappeared, leaving the wolf demon alone with Shizuka's dead body. The scents alone had easily informed him what had happened in the cave, yet he cared not to explore the topic further and carried on with his original path. The wolf demon reached Yuutsuki as the night was about to break out. The large, bright moon shone through the shadow of trees. The girl had surely sensed him approaching, for she awaited him outside of the village, greeting him with a sad glance. Tadao decided to keep in secret that he had retrieved the ring from Byakuya, hoping to learn about the circumstances that had resulted in losing possession of it. The sound of his armour rattling as he was walking disturbed the dead silence surrounding them both. Noticing her discomfort caused by the weather, he loosened his thick scarf and smiled, greeting the girl with a slight head nod. While she bent, he wrapped the scarf around her neck, creating a tight knot.

" _Totosai sent Myoga to me. Tell me what happened afterwards."_

Yuutsuki realized her weakness the moment she had detected his presence. She urged to depend on somebody, who would protect her from Sesshoumaru's wrath and cover up her mistakes. She plainly wanted to avoid responsibility and punishment, however she could not allow herself for such commodity. It was time to admit her fault.

" _Afterwards I did something inexcusable, but I feel no shame."_  She sighed, ruffling her hair in a nervous gesture. Was he going to be angry? His grey glance was hung on her guilty eyes.

" _Byakuya awaited for us in the village, proposing me a deal. The ring for Sesshoumaru's swords. Inuyasha tried to stop me, but he couldn't retrieve them and I really wanted to help Sesshoumaru, so willingly or not, I agreed. I have exchanged the ring for the swords. But apparently Totosai contacted lady Kimi. She can open the portal to underworld freely and I was not aware of that."_

" _I see."_  Tadao could not bring himself to smile and comfort her with encouraging words.  _"Lord Sesshoumaru will be here soon. He might be angry."_  That was a lie. Sesshoumaru was already around, his presence completely concealed, even he could barely sense him. Apparently, their conversation was being overheard.

" _He will, right? Of course he will."_  The girl sighed, directing her eyes towards the starry sky.  _"I was to protect it with my life."_

" _The punishment for such a thing is usually very strict."_  The words lingered in her head, penetrating through her mind and letting panic in. She recalled Sesshoumaru had killed Shizuka without any particular ado, there was a possibility he could do the same to her. Up to now steady breath increased, hands began to shake and instead of words, she responded by tightly grasping his arm.

" _Easy,.."_  Tadao's usual, gentle tone summoned a flicker of tears in her eyes, of which she was very ashamed. He was acting too familiar and she was too vulnerable.  _"It won't be that bad. Close your eyes."_  Trusting his words, she fulfilled the plea and shut down her eyelids.  _"Left as for now, until the right one recovers."_ She felt as a cold ring was placed on her unwounded hand.

" _How…? Tadao…?"_  Yuutsuki's shocked expression pleased the wolf demon, bringing a bright smile over his kind face. The humongous relief eclipsed her worries, bringing a great appreciation for his actions. He might have literally saved her life and spare her from Sesshoumaru's fury.

" _It is a thrilling story. I wish to do it justice. Over a cup of sake, pretty."_

The girl placed her hands on the freezing ground and supported her forehead on them, yet said nothing, unable to find words expressing her gratitude. Tadao helped her to get up and looked through his back, sensing Sesshoumaru drawing closer. Still wounded, the western lord was so pale that his strict expression seemed to glow in the moonlight. Sesshoumaru stopped next to Tadao, just one small step from the girl.


	20. Chapter 20

Yuutsuki stood amid the two demons, whose considerable height made the girl perceive herself as a small obstacle between their mighty presences. She allowed a step to distance from her previous location to observe thoroughly their expressions without unnecessarily straining her neck.

" _Lord Sesshoumaru."_  The demons greeted each other with a small head nod, completely omitting Yuutsuki's presence.  _"You're still severely wounded. I thought you would recover before returning."_

The demon lord did not mind the blood sliding down his arm, reaching his fingers, eventually to drop on the white snow, creating a red stain.  _"These are merely scratches. Did you find it?"_  Tadao reached the inner part of his kimono, ensuring the object was still there.  _"I surely did."_

" _No need to hand it over right now."_  Sesshoumaru sounded tired, more blood was dripping down his immobile, left arm.

The demon dog's vision went blurry, reminding him about the broad cut on his left shoulder. As soon as he had been released from the underworld, he had rushed back, fearing for Yuutsuki's safety, unnecessary though, for there she was, standing perfectly unharmed, with her big, watery eyes placed on Tadao in an affectionately grateful manner. So Tadao was the protagonist now, retrieving her precious ring she had given up, because her protector despite being honour bound to, had not been there to aid her. Disregarding that gust of possessiveness, he was honestly content to relieve himself from the distress of failing to protect the life he craved to preserve. He was sinking in to the vice of excessive greed for her absolute devotion, and aberrantly the more it was rotting and destroying his mind, the more he wanted her to remain pure, unaffected, and unreachable by any threat. For Sesshoumaru, sharing her kind feelings with anyone else was intolerable. Yuutsuki felt intimidated by the prolonging silence, she drew some air in through her mouth and spoke:

" _I will fetch Tenseiga."_

" _Again you have acted without thinking, compromising your entire journey and training, have you considered this loss in the trade? Fortunately the ring is back, a strike of luck in your foolish deeds."_ Sesshoumaru stopped her from leaving, although his voice remained indifferently calm, and he gave no obvious sign of anger, she felt a chill of negative emotion emanating from him. Yuutsuki's necessity to justify herself was pre-empted with Tadao's answer.  _"She wasn't aware of lady Kimi's powers. You cannot punish her for genuinely trying to save you."_

" _I am reprimanding her for acting without considering various scenarios. The ring is safe, thus I do not intend to punish anyone."_

" _Isn't it great, pretty?"_  Tadao placed a hand over her shoulder, feeling enmity within the western lord's aura. Yuutsuki sighed in relief and smiled daintily at Sesshoumaru's stern face, her mood meliorated by the unexpected good turn of events.  _"We have a thing or two to discuss, lord Sesshoumaru. I will take her to her friends and bring your swords. I know of a comfortable place with great sake where we can stay and calmly speak."_  Sesshoumaru nodded once, in agreement to Tadao's proposition.

" _With one exception. Fetch the swords alone, she is going with us. We will wait here for you. Inform them that she will return tomorrow."_

Yuutsuki's body stiffened. He wanted to stay alone with her, was there anything he did not want Tadao to hear? The wolf demon receded to the darkness, not questioning Sesshoumaru's requests.

" _He could have taken the swords, ring and your life."_  He grasped her wounded hand, inspecting it carefully. Focusing on the cut, he dedicated the rest of his energy remaining on healing her.

" _Byakuya showed me the place you have been seized in."_  These words captured his attention. The alert, golden eyes fixed on hers, awaiting continuation.  _"I did not care to figure out what the ring's wielder was supposed to do. It was redundant."_ Sesshoumaru's face was hidden by his ruffled hair, his grasp remained strong as he sank into thoughts. Despite what she had experienced early during the day, she still, as if without any reservations, had thrown her own life, entire effort and her duty in jeopardy, just to attain a mere chance to aid him, the one who was supposed to be protecting her. Was her attitude a virtue or a flaw? It was problematic and dangerous to judge for fear of falling into selfish conclusions.

" _What would happen to me if the ring was gone?"_  The question did not surprise him. Her facial expression unequivocally displayed fear for his answer, yet her excessive curiosity had forced her to ask.

" _I did not differentiate illusion from reality. You deserve no punishment. I am the guilty one."_  He placed his healthy hand on her head reassuring her of his words. Too tired to remain standing, the demon sat down, she followed him and took a place nearby. Yuutsuki was baffled by his vague allusion of an apology, moreover intrigued if he had also realized it. She threw a discreet glance over his face, seeking an answer to her queries. His eyes were focused on the pitch-black horizon and the girl vaguely wondered of his thoughts, surely he had to be thinking about something in particular. Driven by a sudden, incomprehensible impulse, she tilted herself towards Sesshoumaru, puzzled by her own actions and being unable to justify her intentions, she observed his curious glance directed at her. He was almost deemed dead, forever gone and even though there was barely any distance between them, she needed a physical confirmation of his existence, and the last time she could tell how present and real he was had happened during the time he had unexpectedly kissed her. Lately their emotional connection had been falling apart, growing distant with recent occurrences, especially regarding Shizuka. Despite all the negative influences, which could easily shake one's attachment, unbelievably, even to herself, she remained undaunted regardless of everything. Longing for confirmation that his bond remained equally unfazed and just as strong, she impulsively kissed him, this time fully accordingly to her will. She withdrew herself as fast and sudden as she had engaged, speechlessly awaiting some kind of reaction from him. In return, Sesshoumaru smirked and closed his eyes, sensing Tadao approaching.

" _Imprudent."_  Yuutsuki could not tell if he was jesting or actually seriously judging her actions. The wolf demon did sense a waft of change within their attitudes, however he spoke nothing of it. He delivered the swords to both, Sesshoumaru and Yuutsuki, talking only about their destination:

" _My acquaintance runs an inn with private hot springs. I am going to teleport us there."_

In an instant, they were in front of a big, fancily ornamented gate leading to a large building. Lamps were illuminating the marvellous garden brightly, as if inviting any one to postpone their travel in order to visit that remarkable place. Once they entered the porch, a group of beautifully dressed maidens welcomed them, bending their postures lowly. Compared to their outfit, Yuutsuki felt like a beggar. She humbly entangled her hands, unsure what to do.

" _General Tadao!"_  A pleasant female voice was followed by a girl, whose height was similar to hers. Her garments were dripping with splendour and good taste. She did not look older than fifteen, with her rosy cheeks and round face it was hard to acknowledge her status within that establishment.  _"It is a great pleasure to welcome you here. What is of your wish today?"_  As she passed by, a sweet scent of flowers spread around. Tadao nodded his head to the side, smiling in a polite way.  _"I have brought lord Sesshoumaru with me for him to relax in your little heaven."_

The female flinched, abruptly lowered to her knees and bent lowly, touching the ground with her forehead.  _"Forgive my insolence, lord Sesshoumaru. I was not aware. Thank you for giving us the honour of serving you. My name is Satoka and I am the owner of this place."_

" _Stand up."_  Listening to his command, she straightened to her full height and looked curiously at Yuutsuki. The girl's eyes squinted, trying to read the innocent looking demon's intentions.

" _Quite often we welcome humans in here, but to see a female warrior is quite rare. She must be exceptional to travel with you, my lords."_  Her tone was light, no enmity in her voice, but there was a drop of disbelief in her statement.

" _She's my apprentice."_  Tadao smiled, allowing the maidens to remove his heavy armour.  _"She is very talented indeed."_ Yuutsuki quickly comprehended it was better to keep her identity secret, causing unnecessary commotion was not desired.

" _Well then, please, let the maidens take care of you. Girls, be exceptionally careful. Lord Sesshoumaru seems wounded."_ Three young girls approached Yuutsuki, guiding her way to hot springs, opposite direction of where Sesshoumaru and Tadao had been directed. Despite her protests, they removed her clothing and insisted on tending her during the bath, only when she angrily threatened to use her swords, they left her alone in the bath, which worked miracles on her tense body and senses. Once out, the maidens awaited outside to dress her and tend her hair. From usually ruffled, wavy pile, they managed to obtain a tidy, beautiful hairstyle, which fully uncovered her face, giving it an additional charm. Her outfit was also very elegant, a black kimono ornamented with pink, wild birds. Once done, the maidens guided her to a big room, where sitting places were positioned on top of an altar surrounded by candles. Sesshoumaru and Tadao who had been clearly discussing something over a cup of sake quietened once she entered the chamber. The wolf demon rapidly lifted himself and stretched his hand towards her, not taking his eyes away. Yuutsuki grabbed the proffered arm, curiously looking at the fourth place to sit.

" _Satoka is going to join us shortly. Take your place and enjoy your meal."_

The western lord wordlessly kept on drinking as she bowed before taking the place between demons.

" _You look stunning, like a royal princess."_  Tadao chuckled and beckoned a maiden to fill up his glass.

Yuutsuki smiled politely, yet her thoughts were fixed on Sesshoumaru. Could it be he was offended for violating his privacy? She began to eat, taking small bites and listening to the demons' conversation. Most of it was about political relations and dealings of the west, but once Satoka dressed in an extremely rich outfit, daintily walked in with excessively small steps, Sesshoumaru showed no interest in the conversation between Satoka and Tadao, finding it very trivial, almost too trifling.

Paying no attention it, Yuutsuki poured another full glass of the sweet sake and emptied it rapidly. She wondered if the relation between Satoka and Tadao was similar to Sesshoumaru and Shizuka's. The female demon appeared shockingly young, her gleaming eyes were totally sunken in Tadao's face. There was no doubt she was fond of him. The girl observed as Satoka's hand on purpose, yet cleverly masked for unintentionally, touched his arm, shoulder. Sesshoumaru decided that his human companion was consuming her drink way too fast, every time she had filled up her glass, he would do the same and put the bottle further and further away from her. In amusement, he observed her puzzled face, as she had to make bigger effort reaching the bottle every time she wished to drink. Despite Satoka's persistent efforts to captivate Tadao's entire attention, he was fully aware of Sesshoumaru's little mean joke on the girl. He grabbed the bottle and placed it just next to slightly intoxicated Yuutsuki, provoking an admonishing glance from the western lord. She repaid him with a soft smile, and to demonstrate her little victory over the sake, she poured Sesshoumaru a full cup, bestowing him with a playful glance.

" _General Tadao, I assume you and lord Sesshoumaru have things to discuss. Allow me to walk your apprentice to her room."_  Satoka gracefully straightened her small body and bowed with respect towards the demons.  _"Please, follow me."_  She beckoned Yuutsuki with a gesture. Meanwhile walking among the spacious corridors of the mansion, Satoka quietly asked if she could enter her room in order to talk. Yuutsuki agreed, finding no particular reason to decline. Once inside, Satoka sat down, visibly full of tension, her hands were squeezed together.

" _Does general Tadao speak of me often?"_  Noticing Yuutsuki's astounded gaze, for she had not expected such a question, Satoka hurriedly added:  _"You are his apprentice, so you spend a lot of time with him."_

" _Tadao…He is a gentle, dependable man. However he rarely speaks of private matters."_  The girl remarked tears in Satoka's eyes and felt guilty for her stance, nonetheless her mouth remained silent, allowing the female demon to speak out her mind.

" _Once when I was still a child…"_  Yuutsuki lifted up her eyebrow, Satoka was still a child.  _"General Tadao was visiting this inn. A skirmish broke out between my mother, the owner, and a customer. It was a strong, angry demon. Denying paying, he snatched me away from my mother and demanded to be let go."_  Satoka's dark, matt eyes focused on hers in a great tension.  _"General Tadao felled the demon in one hit. I will never forget his strong grasp and his handsome smile. That moment I promised myself I would live to become his mate one day."_  Yuutsuki sighted, feeling a fleeting stab of pity for Satoka.  _"I have become a full-fledged woman several months ago."_  The demon's cheeks turned rosy, conversely there was a spark of smugness within her eyes.  _"But he still does not seem to notice me. I was wondering if he has another woman. The way he treats you… Are you by chance…?"_  The girl shook her head in rejection so snappishly, that her hair untied, softly falling on her shoulders, causing her vision to spin due to liquor.

" _I am so relieved…"_  Satoka exhaled deeply, placing hands on her chest, she looked at Yuutsuki more amiably.

" _Is there any way you can make general Tadao turn his eyes to me?"_ The request was puzzling and incomprehensible for the girl, who threw a prolonged, surprised glance over Satoka.

" _Just use the same thing you have used on lord Sesshoumaru."_  Yuutsuki fell even deeper in befuddlement, slowly comprehending the real reason why Satoka had arranged this conversation.

" _These are lies fabricated and spread by immature, desperate for attention individuals."_  Satoka was taken aback, maybe even slightly stirred at the answer, unaware of Yuutsuki's boldness to speak so bluntly straightforward to demons.  _"You cannot enchant one's love. That would be a mere illusion. Based on your story you seem to be mistaking admiration for love."_

Expansive doubts bloomed within Satoka's head regarding Yuutsuki's witchcraft. Suddenly the female demon found herself keen to believe that the Rens' ring wilder was travelling alongside powerful demons, for she had been strong herself, yet a trace of uncertainty remained.

" _So you did not enchant lord Sesshoumaru?"_  The demon's unfounded hopes had been crushed and she frowned in discontent as Yuutsuki shook her head in denial once more.  _"I cannot help you, lady Satoka."_

Unexpectedly, the demon's eyes turned red and she directed her powers at the human. As a descent of a fox demon, she possessed abilities to enter humans' mind, plant a seed of her demonic energy and read their thoughts. Another ability of hers was to erase the memory of the aforementioned attacks, enabling her to abuse it safely, only and exclusively humans could be a target though, that was why her family was a great tool to control human lords and kings. Satoka submerged in Yuutsuki's head and plated a seed, but before she succeeded in stealing any image or thought, a dominant blockade pushed her away, brusquely ruining the attack.

" _Wh… What have you done?"_  Yuutsuki's lips were quivering. Satoka swore silently, not realizing what had occurred. The ring had granted fortification to the human, restricting her from seeing anything, nonetheless the seed of her energy still lingered. The demon tried to dive in again, wanting to erase the fox seed, though the barrier reflected the attack again. Once a seed was left deprived of any controller, it would plant anxiety and fright within the prey's head, it was a traceless way of tormenting enemies. The victim would see the foulest scenarios of life events, would hear voices also see deceptions, ultimately decease after days of continuous torment.

" _What are these images?! Why I am seeing all of this?!"_  Yuutsuki's skin turned pale and wet from sweat. Her dark, veiny eyes broadened and she slowly turned her head to a side, trembling in fear. Then, as if she had detected something dreadful, grasping her sword tightly, she swayed it around, cutting ornamental curtains around the bed in order to pierce the thing endangering her. The sword's energy unleashed, liberally inflowing to the girl's body, for she had not been sensible enough to measure its pour. Notwithstanding the mental power, Satoka was feeble and had no knowledge of fighting, she also distinguished that Yuutsuki was within the terrorizing illusion, seeing things completely different from reality, moreover there was no inevitability that the infamous Ren sword would not pierce her throat in a second, hence she kept curled up in a corner while hoping for help. The door to the room unlocked and Sesshoumaru along with Tadao appeared inside. The wolf demon approached Satoka first, for he had grasped what had occurred in there. Satoka's watery eyes observed his straightened, opened hand swing and felt a powerful slap on her left cheek. She cupped it with her hands, observing the demons in silence, too dreadful of the look of Tadao's eyes to speak.

" _Yuutsuki…"_  Tadao touched her, but a swing of her sword blocked his attempts.  _"We have to supress the sword's energy first. Later the ring needs to be removed and Satoka must take out the seed."_ Sesshoumaru's claws glowed green, releasing his whips in order to strain the girl, however she avoided it by tumbling over the floor, hurting herself on a candle stand. In the exact same moment, Tadao threw himself at her and knocked her to the ground, grabbing her wrists tightly.

" _Help me…"_  Yuutsuki uttered two words amidst short breaths, recognizing Tadao's grey eyes. He forced her to release the sword and lifted her up in his arms. He gently removed the ring from her shaky hand and screamed out towards Satoka:

" _Do it!"_

Satoka with all her might did not want to fulfil his command. The view of her beloved one holding the girl so gently in his arms injected malice into her heart, however regardless of her reluctance, she removed the seed without a word of demur. Yuutsuki gasped, her body relaxed and she allowed herself to sink in Tadao's embrace, supporting her cheek on his warm chest. Tadao returned the ring on its proper place and with his usual, jesting tone, he asked:

" _Your room is destroyed, pretty. Do you wish to stay in mine tonight?"_

" _Get her another room."_  Sesshoumaru's deadly serious, angry voice did not stop Yuutsuki from answering favourably.

" _I do wish so."_  There were matters she urged to discuss with him, and since she trusted him entirely, spending the night together seemed like a great opportunity to fulfil her wishes.

" _You have heard the lady. Well, goodnight."_  Sesshoumaru growled as Tadao casually walked out from the room, disappearing with his human. He watched the female demon as she bowed tactfully.  _"I am extremely sorry, lord Sesshoumaru. I never wished to do her harm. I hope you understand."_ Sesshoumaru silently turned his back at her.  _"My lord!"_ He threw a short glance over her crying face.  _"Is she the general's mate?"_ Sesshoumaru stifled another growl and before leaving, he uttered through his tightened teeth:  _"You deserve no answer."_  He returned to his chamber, furious with the human's pert play on his feelings, swearing Tadao and his insolence to cross borders of his tolerance.

/

Tadao gently placed the girl on his bed, catching himself on gaping too long at her bared meanwhile fighting shoulders. With his back towards her, he sat down on the floor, sighting as he said:  _"Forgive Satoka, she is not a bad child."_

" _I know. She honestly admires you. Do you have feelings for her?"_  Yuutsuki sat down and smirked, meeting his staggered eyes.

" _No, she is a brat to me. I have important issues to solve rather than a juvenile, unrequired love."_ Tadao supported his forehead on his hands, the long, blond hair covered up his face.  _"I must go north. If I don't go now I might never be able to retake my position. I was to help protecting you. I am sorry."_  Yuutsuki knelt in front of him, full of concern. _"Do not concern yourself with me. I can fend off for myself."_

" _You have been hurt, have you not, pretty? You have seen Shizuka and lord Sesshoumaru together. If I were there I wouldn't have allowed you."_  The girl avoided his apprehensive look, fearful to be muddled by his benevolence.  _"I am less hurt than you think. I understand my position."_

Tadao clutched her shoulders and shook her a bit.  _"He does not make you a favour by protecting you. He has feelings for you."_ Something about his voice seemed to have robbed her temporarily of breath.  _"And if he remains a coward until I retake my position, I will steal you away from him."_

Tadao smiled, releasing his grip.  _"I still have plenty to discuss with lord Sesshoumaru. Rest well, pretty."_  Her stunned eyes followed him to the exit.

/

As soon as the first rays of the feeble, winter sun appeared in the sky, Satoka knocked on the door of Tadao's room.

" _I have brought you appropriate clothing for travel."_ Yuutsuki nodded her head appreciatively.  _"Also, the food is waiting in the guest's room. Lord Sesshoumaru and general Tadao are already preparing to leave."_  Satoka wavered.  _"I am sorry. I caused you an unpleasant experience."_  The girl got up and grasped the demon's hands.  _"Grow up a little more and then meet Tadao again. He needs a good mate, try to improve yourself in order to become the one he wishes to have."_  Satoka beamed, her eyes let several tears out.

" _I will never give up."_  Bowing lowly, she left the room, her heart full of joy.

Yuutsuki was impressed with the attire, it was a warrior's clothing adapted to fit a small female like herself. Arms and legs were reinforced with animal skin and on the inner part, especially around the back and chest, the material was embroidered with fur. There was also a convenient belt to attach the sword. Yuutsuki clasped her hands happily and with a light heart, she walked towards the guest room, where Tadao and Sesshoumaru were lively and loudly discussing weaknesses of the fake leader of the north, Naoki. Without interrupting, the girl quietly sat down and listened carefully while consuming her meal. Slowly, the conversation changed its course and Yuutsuki comprehended that Tadao would leave towards north today, shortly after Sesshoumaru and her would depart.

" _If you are done, go to change. We are leaving."_  The western lord looked at her from the corner of his golden eyes. After short goodbyes, Yuutsuki followed the silver haired demon into the white horizon of a snowy forest. They marched for several hours, until the sun hung on its highest point in the sky.

" _Is there any reason why we are not teleporting?"_  The girl had been bored by the monotonous landscape and lack of any conversation.

" _Has curiosity ever led you to anything?"_  Sesshoumaru kept his steady pace despite her apparent exhaustion. Yuutsuki stopped and placed hands on her hips, wondering if he had been mocking her.

" _To the truth, perhaps?"_  The demon smirked at her answer, widening the gap between them.

" _Sesshoumaru!"_  He stopped abruptly, for the tone of her voice was too startled to be only expressing annoyance at his attitude. Before Yuutsuki managed to replenish her lounges with air, Sesshoumaru was already protectively grabbing her waist while alertly seeking the source of her shout. Even though the demon sensed no danger or presence, he did not weaken the embrace, questioningly looking at her stirred face. The girl felt ashamed for the misunderstanding, for she realized how heavily mindful he was in order to keep her unharmed.

" _I… I am sorry, I just feel a weird sensation from the ring. As if… I am using the sword."_

" _Hn."_  Sesshoumaru lifted her up in his arms.  _"Already? It seems like you depend too much on borrowing the sword's power."_  He began to run, omitting all obstacles gracefully _. "Luckily, today might be the day Naraku dies. He is close by, Inuyasha is also heading his way. Prepare yourself, nullifying nearly fully defiled jewel might exhaust your body."_ Yuutsuki's throat tightened, creating difficulties swallowing. She rubbed the ring's three coloured jewels, fighting with sudden fear born in her heart. Sesshoumaru was rapidly approaching the site, despite almost being able to taste her hesitation and doubts, he remained silent until they landed in the middle of an empty field. A skirmish had taken part there, visible traces from Inuyasha's wind slashes, also several loose parts of Naraku's tentacles served as a proof of the assumption.

" _Yuutsuki, stay back."_  He jumped up and threw a singular, stern glare at her, as if to make sure she had comprehended and would not defy his orders. The demon drew his sword and performed a rapid slash, exposing Byakuya hidden within the shadows of trees.

" _Sorry, but I am not letting this girl any closer to Naraku. I should have killed her once I had a chance."_  Sesshoumaru growled, full of thirst for the assaulter's blood and anguish, he captured the paper origami directed at Yuutsuki and melted it down within his poisonous claws _. "Indeed. For you shall lose your life before that."_  While the demon dog's mind was entirely eclipsed with the need to eliminate Naraku's clone, one idle tentacle twitched, slowly moving towards the unaware girl, whose attention was captured by the battle. Suddenly, Sesshoumaru realized that Naraku had never intended Yuutsuki to be killed nor harmed by Byakuya, whose presence served only to deviate the lord's attention, as a tentacle would pierce the girl's chest and rip out her heart in order to make it impossible to revive her with Tenseiga. Sesshoumaru rapidly adjusted his priorities and put the girl's safety over his pride and lust for blood, however a fraction of a second too late for at the same time the girl fell lifelessly on the ground, tainting the white snow red. Despite being aware that her death was imminent, he swiftly appeared behind her and kneeling down, he locked the idle, small body to his, thwarting Naraku's plan by catching an incoming tentacle, which could have torn her heart out. Without a moment's thought, he teleported them both in front of Naraku, where he used Yuutsuki's last living moments on nullifying the jewel, helping her to carry out her mission before dying in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nope, not the end yet.


End file.
